The Little Mermako
by pinkaffinity
Summary: No explanation needed. IT'S MERMAKO.
1. Chapter 1

The air was cool, gray, and slightly breezy. A thick fog had rolled over hours before, covering the horizon with its mystery. The ocean was alive and breathing, waves tumbling over the water's surface, white foam rising over the crests.

It was a fine day for sailing.

Toucan-puffins were catching the wind beneath their wings, floating down from the sky. A pair of tiger-dolphins poked their heads up out of the water, leaping over the waves. The birds flew down towards the ocean, dipping precariously close to the surface. The tiger-dolphins greeted the birds with a high-pitched giggle, and sea spray glided smoothly off the toucan-puffins' feathers. They soared up high again, high above it all.

The figurehead of a mermaid with carved wooden hair fluttering behind her and hollow eyes, deep and heavy, broke through the fog, revealing the bow of a great and powerful ship hidden in the mists, the ship of the princess returning home after a long and grueling journey in the northern seas. The Northern Air Temple had been left behind in its wake.

The ship's crew worked the riggings, capturing the wind in the sails, and they sang, voices booming.

"I'll tell you a tale of tale of the bottomless blue,

"And it's hey to the starboard, heave ho-"

Korra was standing in the crow's nest, eyes closed. The wind flitted through her hair, ruffled her loose, white shirt, and she breathed in the day, crisp, clean. Up here, she could forget her disappointment, forget the feelings of failure that had followed her from the temple. She gripped the wood in front of her, and she felt the air on her skin. Her eyes opened, taking in the horizon, her home.

She was a sailor, and sailing made her free.

"Look out, lad, a mermaid be waiting for you,

"In mysterious fathoms below."

Korra climbed up onto the edge of the crow's nest and reached out, grabbing onto some cordage. She leapt off, making sure not to get tangled in the rigging before arcing out over the ocean. The singing halted in an instant; her crew stared up at her with huge eyes, and she laughed to the sky as she swung back over her ship, inhaling the salty air and the smell of the sea.

She let go and somersaulted onto the deck.

One of her crew members, those members of the Order of the White Lotus who had sworn to protect both her and her ship, ran over to her, worry still stricken across his face.

"Are you okay, Princess Korra?" He reached down to help her up. "You had me worried."

Korra rolled her eyes up at him, and gently pushed his hands aside so she could stand on her own. "I'm fine, Howl. No need to worry." She stared back up at the billowing sails as she adjusted the red sash tied around her waist. It kept loosening on her. "It's a perfect day to be at sea, isn't it?"

Howl followed the princess to the port side of the ship, where she grabbed onto the rigging again. His voice was low. "A strong wind and a following sea. Our journey back couldn't be better. Queen Lin must be in a good mood today."

"Queen Lin?" she asked, eyebrows raised.

Another crewmember leaned over. "She's the ruler of the merpeople, miss. I thought you of all people would have known about her."

Korra crossed her arms and pouted. She grumbled underneath her breath. "Well, maybe I would if I was allowed out of the city more often instead of only being allowed to leave for Avatar duties. I barely was allowed to go to the Northern Air Temple; whose fault is that, huh?"

"Korra?" an old woman called from the stern. Korra glanced up and saw her oldest and closest teacher, looking slightly green, beckoning her over. She ran up to her.

"Yes, Master Katara?"

"I know you're disappointed that you didn't learn anything new about airbending on this trip, but there is no need to take it out on your crew." Korra groaned, and Katara continued, "I promise you, one day all the practice you've been doing and all the time you've put into training will pay off, and everything will just click."

"But you've been saying that for months now!"

"And it's still true."

Korra turned, eyes downcast. She held her hand over the edge of the ship, bending a stream of water up and down. A bubble of water rose up from the sea, and the tail of a skunk fish flicked around, threatening to break the surface tension.

"Katara? Do you believe what the crew was saying? That there are really merpeople? A queen of the seas?"

Katara rested a hand on Princess Korra's shoulder. "I've been on many adventures in my lifetime, my dear. And frankly, I wouldn't believe that kind of nautical nonsense."

"Yeah, you're probably right," she said, just as a gust of wind burst across the ship. Her red sash unwrapped and flew out over the ocean. The water bubble she'd been maintaining broke as she tried to waterbend her sash back, but the ship was going too fast by that point. It floated away, dipping below the waves before she could jump in after it.

The fish she had dropped looked back up once, and swam away before she could get him again.

The sash absorbed the water and sank.

Her crew began to sing.

"Heave, ho. Heave, ho. In mysterious fathoms below."

Deep beneath the ocean's waves, the water was dark but warm. Crowds of merfolk were swimming towards the palace, fins flipping behind them with an anxious excitement. They'd been planning on attending for weeks now, talking about it nonstop ever since they heard rumors of a surprise guest.

Inside the underwater concert hall, the crowd was overwhelmingly huge. Families of merfolk waited patiently, a buzz of conversation echoing throughout. A fanfare began, silencing the crowd.

A tiny seahorse swam out next to the trumpeters, and coughed. Her voice was small, but she projected well. "Ahem..." she began, "Her Royal Highness, Queen Lin!"

The queen rode out into the middle of the hall, pulled in her half-shell by three tiger-dolphins, holding her glowing trident up high. She was a respected queen, a revered and loved queen, and the explosion of applause that rang out when she appeared burst through to the furthest rooms of the palace.

"Thank you, Pema," she said kindly as she rode past the seahorse.

"Not a problem, your majesty."

Queen Lin soared over the audience, the tips of her dark gray fin flitting over the edge of the shell. Her hair moved with the water as she rode. She pointed her trident towards the ceiling, and a cascade of sparkles rained down to even more applause. She settled in a spot where she could easily view the show.

Pema spoke again, blushing slightly: "And presenting the distinguished court composer, Horatio Thelonious Ignatius Crustaceous Tenzin!"

A small, red crab with blue arrows running down his back, claws, and head swam out to little applause and moved towards the queen.

"You're looking radiant today, my queen," Tenzin said as he approached Queen Lin.

She ignored his compliment. "I'm really looking forward to this performance, you know."

"Oh, your Majesty, this will be the finest performance I've ever worked on. Your sons are magnificent!"

"Yes, they are, aren't they? Especially my Mako." The pride in her voice was unmistakeable.

Tenzin nodded furiously, clicking his pincers together. Bubbles rose up from each snap of his claws. "He does have a wonderful voice, your Majesty," he said as he swam down to the podium set up in the middle of the hall. "If only he came to rehearsal!"

The crowd was silent, waiting.

Tenzin tapped his baton on his music stand twice. His musicians, an octopus and seven fish, stared up at him expectantly. He started to wave the baton furiously as he conducted the instruments, and the sounds of music, of trumpets and trombones and drums, filled the hall. Queen Lin smiled.

Three shells rose up before them, supported by coral-covered rocks. A curtain of bubbles hid them, and with one flick of his claw, Tenzin bent them away. The middle shell opened, revealing two mermen, and the other two shells opened shortly after.

"Ah, we are the dear sons of Queen Lin-"

Her sons were metalbenders, and as they sang, they directed their hands below them to shift the earth into patterns. Their voices were deep, harmonious, and their bending powerful. They'd learned from the best.

"Great mother who loves us and named us well-"

Lin looked proud, even behind her crossed arms.

"Saikhan, aaah-aha,"

"Kaelin, ah-aha,"

"So-ong, aah-ha-ha,"

"Ke-ehn, ah-haha,"

"Shui, aaah-ahah,"

"Kohei, aaa-aa-a!"

Tenzin grinned, lifting himself up in the water with his legs as the brothers hit the highest note. The six of them swam together, a blend of greens and yellows and browns and grays from their fins as they formed a circle. A fourth shell rose up, spinning, the mystery hidden inside, the surprise the crowd had been waiting for.

"And then there is the youngest in his musical debut,

"Our seventh little brother, we're presenting him to you-"

They swam towards the shell, arms outstretched, waving, bending, giving their all in this performance. Tenzin looked back to make sure Queen Lin was watching.

"To sing a song that Tenzin wrote,

"The brightest of our show-"

The shell began to open slowly.

"He's our brother, Ma-a-"

A gasp tore through the crowd.

...The shell was empty.

Lin gripped the bannister, face tight with anger. The coral broke easily with the force of her bending, and her yell echoed throughout the hall.

"MA_KOOOO_!"

Mako floated up in the water, staring at the sunken ship that he'd heard so many rumors about. He smiled, gloved hands resting on the rock in front of him. "Wow," he murmured before swimming forward. His deep red fin twirled once before it propelled him forward.

"Mako!" Bolin called from behind. "Wait for me!"

Mako turned, the water flowing between his fingers as he stopped himself and looked back at his friend, a yellow tang with green stripes and fins, though his dorsal fin was, oddly, colored black. A little red and orange pentapus was sticking onto his side, riding along happily. "Hurry up, Bo!"

"You know I can't swim that fast," he said, panting as he caught up, "I'm not as speedy as you, okay?"

Mako ignored him, mostly because he couldn't take his mind off the sunken ship. What was hidden inside? What kinds of treasures were waiting for him? He felt the jolt of excitement in his fingers; he still hadn't been able to shake the desire to treasure hunt, even after all the years that he'd been living as Queen Lin's adopted son.

He often forgot that he was a prince.

He still thought of himself as a thief, as a hunter, as a kid just trying to make it.

As a young merchild, far too young, Mako had lost his parents and had to find a way to survive on his own. He stole a lot. He slept on beds of seaweed, deep in the reef. One day, he'd found a human treasure in the seaweed, and soon discovered that human things went for big money on the black sea market. He hunted and he stole and he survived.

He used to get in fights with other benders, too. He still had the scars beneath his gloves. And once, during a huge fight, he was arrested by one of the Queen's sons. He'd brought him back to the palace, and instead of getting into trouble, the Queen ended up taking a liking to him. He impressed her, and a year later, she'd adopted him as her own.

He loved his mother.

But he loved human treasures too, and though he had no need to find them for monetary purposes, they still sparked his curiosity.

"Isn't it great?" Mako said, voice hushed even though he knew they were the only ones around.

"Yeah... it's great... now can we go?" Bolin asked nervously.

Mako rolled his eyes over at him. "Please don't tell me you're getting cold fins. Focus, Bolin."

"Of course not!" Bolin waved himself around. "It's just... I think I'm getting sick. Yeah, I'm getting sick, and besides, that looks pretty... um... wet in there. Very moist indeed."

"Well I'm going in. Never know what I could find. You can just stay out here and watch for sharks!" He adjusted the bag on his shoulder and swam away, swishing his fin in Bolin's face.

"Sh-sharks? No way. There aren't really sharks here, nope. I don't see any elephant-sharks or any jaguar-sharks or any hippo-sharks. Yeah, no sharks here!" But he followed behind Mako anyway, avoiding his current to swim at his side.

"You're such a guppy, Bo."

"I am not a guppy!" Bolin shouted as they squeezed through the ship's porthole. "Am I a guppy, Pabu?"

The pentapus lifted a tentacle off Bolin and tapped it down twice before leaping off and sticking to Mako's shoulder.

Bolin groaned. "Pabu, you're supposed to be on _my side_."

Mako laughed. "Don't worry, I'll protect the both of you." Mako peered through the ship, but he couldn't see anything.

"I'm an earthbender, remember?" Bolin bopped over to Mako. "I don't need protection... but... it is a little... dark in here. Could you... you know...bend?" Bolin had, by this time, stuck himself to Mako's side. He was shaking.

Mako raised his hand in front of him, and felt the anticipatory tingles running through him. His fingers lit up, little shivers of electricity dancing over his hand. He held it up, illuminating the ship's dark insides. The water started warming.

Something reflected the bluish glow and caught Mako's attention. He swam closer, holding his electrified hand down to the ship's floor.

Human treasure.

It had to be!

He picked it and examined it. It was some type of metal, thin and flat and pointy, but only pointy on one end. It kind of reminded him of a kangaroo-urchin. "Isn't this the coolest thing you've ever seen?" he asked, grinning at Bolin.

"It's gorgeous! ... What is it?"

"I have no idea," Mako said, shrugging; he placed the object in his bag. "But maybe Jinora will know!" Another thingamabob caught his attention, and he shoved it in his bag without even examining it.

Bolin's smile dropped off his face. "Did you hear that?"

Mako's attention had already been drawn to the red fabric dangling off the stairs leading up to the poop deck. The electricity left his fingers as he reached for it with both hands. It was soft.

"I wonder what this is," he said as he held it to his face, rubbing it over his cheeks.

"Mako, I am really getting the heeby-jeebies here..."

"Stop it, Bo," he said as he pushed the fabric into his bag. "Nothing bad is going to happen."

A crash of splintering wood echoed through the ship, and Mako whipped around.

A shark had burst through, snapping his jaws at them.

"WE'RE GONNA DIE!" Bolin screeched as the shark burst through and chomped at him, nearly nipping his caudal fin. Mako grabbed Bolin and swam, hoping that Pabu was going to stick to his skin.

His bag yanked out of his arm as he dodged the shark, zooming behind a mast. He couldn't leave it. He couldn't. So Mako swam up and then whipped back down, fin snapping as he reached down for his bag. The shark approached, mouth open, teeth sharp. Mako's fist thrust out, and the shark was jolted with a shock of electricity. The surrounding water bubbled with the residual heat. The shark shook his head, giving Mako enough time to bolt back towards Bolin, and the two fled the ship.

"Bad shark coming, bad shark coming, BAD SHARK HERE! NOW!" Bolin screamed behind him. Mako glanced back, and sure enough, the shark was still after them, even after getting shocked.

He needed a plan.

His eyes darted around until he noticed a huge, rusted metal ring. He swam towards it; twisting through the ring's center without any problem. Bolin, however, swam right into the metal, conking his head. He spun, sinking as he tried to reorient himself, but the shark was coming, his jaw's were wide and his teeth were huge. Mako spun back, flipping his fin, and grabbed Bolin, pulling him through the ring's center.

The shark snapped his teeth and wiggled his fin, but was very, very stuck.

Pabu's tentacles trembled in relief on Mako's skin, and Bolin rolled out of Mako's grasp, swimming over to the shark.

"You are one nasty dude!" he said, sticking out his tongue.

Another attempted chomp sent Bolin screaming back into Mako's arms.

"You really are a guppy," Mako said, laughing.

Three seagulls hopped around on a rock at the surface, one of them humming. Another of them hopped to the edge of the rock, fluttering its wings as he lifted his telescope. He peered through it on the opposite way, observing the horizon.

"Jinora! Ikki! Meelo!" Mako called.

Meelo turned, still looking through his telescope the wrong way, and saw Mako waving in the distance, Bolin was bobbing in of the water. Pabu had stuck himself on Bolin's side once more. "Whoa! Merman entering my domain!" he shouted.

"Meelo," Jinora said, "There's no need to yell."

Meelo lowered his telescope, and jumped back. Mako was right next to him; he tossed his bag up onto the rock. "Hey, you three, look what we found!"

Bolin did a flip in the water. "We got it from this super creepy ship! It was _super creepy._"

Ikki flew over to the bag, reaching inside. "Human stuff? Let me see." She reached inside, pulling out the flat piece of metal.

"Ooh," Jinora breathed. "That's special. Very special."

"What is it?" Mako asked, leaning closer on the rock.

"It's a dinglehopper!" she said, taking it from Ikki and pushing the spiny ends onto her sister's head, swirling it around. "Humans use these to fix their hair. You just give a twist here, a tug there, and voila!" She yanked the dinglehopper away, leaving Ikki's feathers fluffy and puffy.

"Oh, very nice," Ikki said, wings reaching up to touch the top of her head.

"It's quite aesthetically pleasing," Meelo chimed in.

"A dinglehopper," Mako repeated to himself.

Ikki continued digging through the bag, pulling out the red fabric and throwing it at Jinora, who ran her wings over the material.

"This," she said, hopping over to Mako, "Is a scarf. Humans use it to kill other humans by choking them!" She wrapped the scarf around his neck. "Just like this, but tight!" It didn't feel bad to Mako, though. It felt right. He liked the color, too.

"But what about this?" Bolin asked, nudging the last thingamabob towards Meelo.

"That, my friends, is a snarfblat," Jinora said. The other four made appropriate sounds of awe. "It's an object that dates back to prehistoric times, when all humans did was sit around staring at each other."

"Booooring," Ikki said.

"So they invented the snarfblat in order to entertain one another with fine music." Meelo picked it up and put it in his beak. He took a huge breath and blew out, bubbles exploding out the end.

"Music? Oh, no, the concert!" Mako cried, slapping his forehead with a gloved hand. "My mother is going to kill me. I have to go, now!" He threw the dinglehopper and the snarfblat back into his bag. "I'm sorry." He dove down, fin splashing up out of the water as he submerged, Bolin following. He swam as fast as he could, scarf trailing behind him, not focused on anything but getting back as soon as possible.

He was so focused on his thoughts, he didn't see them.

He didn't see the moray eels' two glowing green eyes.

He didn't see them seeing him.

"Hurry home, little prince." A smooth, deep voice resounded. His hands touched his crystal ball, his eyes watched Mako swim deeper and deeper. "You wouldn't want to miss your dear mother's celebrations."

He swam away from the crystal ball, tentacles pulsing with the movement.

He chuckled behind his mask, and the sound echoed.

"I'll show them a celebration. One like they've never seen before. Lieutenant! Hiroshi!" he barked, addressing the eels. "You better keep an eye on our prince. He very well may be the key to Lin's undoing..."

He laughed.


	2. Chapter 2

"What am I going to do with you?" Queen Lin yelled.

"Mom, I'm sorry, I just forgot—"

"You know what this meant to me, to your brothers." Mako turned away and stared at the coral, absorbing her anger. "You're my son and I— we!— have a reputation to uphold! And now as a result of your careless behavior—"

"Careless and reckless," Tenzin said, jetting up towards him and jabbing an arrowed claw in his direction. Mako turned his cheek again, and his teeth clenched.

"The whole celebration was—"

"It was ruined! Just like my reputation!" Tenzin snapped his claws, and an explosion of bubbles blew up in Mako's face. "This was supposed to be the highlight of my career, and now I'm the laughingstock of the kingdom! You know how many crabs still hold onto the ways of the ancient composers? Very few, Mako. Very few."

"Cool it, sir," Bolin said, flipping up higher. Pabu squeaked on his skin. "It wasn't Mako's fault!" Lin narrowed her eyes, gripping her trident even more securely, and Bolin continued, voice shaking, nerves aching. "Well, see, first we found this shark, and he almost ate us up for breakfast! And we tried to, but we couldn't, but we did, and then WHOAAA we were safe and there were these three seagulls and there were all this is this and that is that and—"

"Seagulls? … Mako, don't tell me you went up to the surface again?" She stood. "You did, didn't you?"

"Nothing happened," he confessed.

"You could have been seen!"

"I'm always careful!"  
"But one day you won't be, and a human will see you and you'll have brought a threat to our seas! I can't have you swimming around getting your nose in places that it shouldn't be!"

"A threat? Humans aren't—"

"Protecting Atlantica is all I care about. I refuse to have you going up to the surface, bringing danger to our waters."

"But—"

"Not another word!" she snapped, "I never want to hear of you going to the surface ever again; do you hear me, young man?"

Mako felt the electricity pulsing in his hands, and he clenched them tighter, keeping his bending in check. She didn't know what she was talking about. She hadn't lived like he had; she'd never wanted more. This was enough for her and always would be. His eyes narrowed, and he whipped away.

His fin flipped behind him; Bolin followed.

"Teenagers," Tenzin groaned.

Lin sighed, and her hands loosened on her trident. "Do you think I was too harsh with him?"

"Of course not! He needs to know who's boss around here; and if he were my son, I'd make sure he never got into these human things. They're a waste of time and a distraction from what really matters. He just needs a patient hand and a good eye—"

"So you think he needs constant supervision?"

"Constant."

"Someone to keep him out of trouble, you might say?"

"All the time."

"Well," she paused, a glint in her eye. "I know just the crab to do it."

"I cannot believe I'm in this situation," Tenzin grumbled to himself as he swam away from the palace, eyes peeled for Mako. "I shouldn't have to be dealing with a teenage boy who doesn't even have the decency to come to my rehearsals on time. I have symphonies to write." He looked up, catching the end of a dark red fin flicking past, dipping into a patch of seaweed. Bolin trailed behind, his fins flopping as he tried to catch up. "What are they up to?" Tenzin asked himself.

He raced after them.

Tenzin watched as the two of them approached a rock wall, littered with stones and broken shells at its base. It seemed completely normal until Mako pushed on part of the rock, shifting it away and leaving an opening. He and Bolin swam inside. Tenzin had never seen this before, yet still he really had no interest in what lay inside.

But Queen Lin had told him to keep an eye out for Mako, to make sure he didn't fall into trouble.

So Tenzin slipped inside before the rock slid back over the entrance, hiding himself in the shadows of the sea.

The grotto looked smaller than it actually was. There was stuff, human stuff, everywhere. Sparkling, shining, human. Tenzin's mouth opened in surprise as he looked at all the things, all the things he had no name for.

Mako was laying on a rock in the middle of the grotto, pulling out the contents of his bag. The snarfblat, the scarf, which he wrapped around his neck again. He stared at the dinglehopper between his fingers.

"Mako, are you okay?" Bolin asked, nudging himself up against Mako's shoulder. Mako set the dinglehopper down.

Tenzin clapped his claws over his mouth.

He stared down at his hands, bending the electricity in them again. He felt the buzz roll through his body. He was different. He knew this. There were very few merpeople who could bend electricity; he'd only heard stories of the others. His family consisted of earthbenders. Even Bolin was an earthbender.

Mako was different.

And so were humans.

Maybe it was all those years of finding human treasures and selling them; of continuing the habit until it reached a collection. Maybe it was the fact that he felt more at home here than in the palace (for he'd never gotten used to the place, even after so many years). Maybe it was both… but he found himself drawn to the surface, drawn to humans, wanting to know more about them, of them.

Sometimes it was hard not being on his own anymore.

"I wish I could just… I wish there was a way to make her understand." Mako paused, looking up. The moonlight fell through the opening at the top of the grotto, sending a bluish glow throughout. There were shadows on the rocks. "I don't see how a world that makes such wonderful things… could be bad."

Mako couldn't see Tenzin frowning at him, but he picked up the dinglehopper again, and he started to sing.

"Look at this stuff, isn't it neat?

"Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?"

He placed the dinglehopper up.

"Wouldn't you think I'm the boy

"The boy who has everything?"

He glanced up, staring at his collection, of all the things he had gotten over the years. His voice was a smooth baritone, filling the cavern, his little piece of a hidden home.

"Look at this trove, treasures untold

"How many wonders can one cavern hold?

"Looking around here, you'd think

"Sure, he's got everything."

Mako swam up to one of his shelves, touching the treasures. They made little clinking sounds. Tenzin couldn't stop staring.

"I've got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty

"I've got who's-its and what's-its galore

"You want thing-a-mabobs?

"I've got twenty."

He'd grabbed a box and opened it excitedly in front of Bolin, who admired its contents with an awestruck look. Pabu pulled a tentacle back so he could get a better look too. Then Mako closed it slowly, reverently.

"But who cares? No big deal. I want more."

He looked to the surface, to his next big adventure.

"I wanna be where the people are

"I wanna see, wanna see 'em dancin'"

A statue of two dancing figurines caught his attention, and he spun it, watching them dance.

"Walkin' around on those

"Whaddya call 'em?"

Bolin wiggled his fin in front of him, and Mako grabbed it, laughing.

"Oh, feet!"

"Flippin' your fins, you don't get too far

"Legs are required for jumpin', dancin'

"Strollin' along down the—"

He pretended to walk, swaying his hips, and Tenzin climbed up on a shelf for a better look.

"What's the word again?

"Street!"

Mako swam upward, holding Bolin's fin in his hand, spinning as he looked at his collection. A school of fish swam past.

"Up where they walk,

"Up where they run,

"Up where they stay all day in the sun—"

He twirled up, desperate for the surface. One hand drifted down, fingers touching the scarf on his neck.

"Wanderin' free, wish I could be

"Part of that world."

Mako hadn't quite realized until now how much he craved it. How much he wanted a pair of legs, how he wanted to explore and be free up above. Maybe once he did, he could show Queen Lin, show his mother how humans weren't a threat to their kingdom. And really, he just wanted it.

"What would I give if I could live

"Outta these waters?

"What would I pay to spend a day

"Warm on the sand?"

He lay on the ground, and Bolin buried himself in the sand next to him.

"Betcha on land they understand

"Bet they don't reprimand their so-ons—"

He sat up.

"Bright young mermen, sick of swimmin'

"Ready to staaaand—"

He flipped back up, swimming upward.

"And ready to know what the people know

"Ask 'em my questions and get some answers."

Mako swam up to a treasure he had found, a painting whose colors hadn't disappeared in the water. He stroked the canvas with one finger, over the yellow and orange.

"What's a fire, and why does it

"What's the word?

"Buuuuuurn!

"When's it my turn?

"Wouldn't I love?"

He jetted upward again.

"Love to explore that shore up above—"

He reached out.

"Out of the sea, wish I could be—"

Mako sank back down.

"Part of that woooooorld…"

Mako sighed, wanting, yearning. Just one day, one hour, one minute up there and he'd be happy. At the very same moment, Tenzin ran into a mug and crashed down, sending more things falling around him.

"Tenzin!" Mako said. Tenzin unburied himself from the heap of treasures. Mako frowned at him.

"What are you— how could you— What—" Tenzin began, pointing his claw at his face before Mako's face before gesturing above. "Is all this?"

Mako coughed and then ran his hand through his hair.

"Just my, uh, my collection?"

"Oh. I see. Collection, yes… IF YOUR MOTHER KNEW ABOUT THIS—"

"You're not going to tell her, are you?" Bolin asked earnestly. Mako swam forward, hands clasped.

"Don't, Tenzin, please. She'd never understand! All she cares about is protecting Atlantica—"

"For good reason, too!" He cut him off. Mako's mouth hung open. Tenzin grabbed his hand and started scuttling back to the entrance. "You seem to be under a lot of pressure," he mused. "I just need to get you home, maybe you'll feel better then.

Up above in the alcove, a shadow fell over, blocking the glowing moonlight from seeping down.

"What?" Mako asked nobody in particular, dropping Tenzin's claw.

"Mako… Mako!" Tenzin called after him, but Mako was already swimming out of the grotto and up towards the surface, up to the shadow that called him.

As he swam, he saw that there were more lights coming down, not just the dim blue of the moon. There were colors, colors that he had never seen before. Bright yellows and smooth greens, purples and reds, lighting the surface from above. A huge blast of orange leapt from the shadow above, and Mako swam faster. What was going on?

Slowly, his head broke the surface and he brushed his hair back. It was a ship! A huge, three masted ship, carving its way through the ocean. He didn't know what they were, but these loud explosions were filling the sky with sound and light and color, twirling through the air. Occasionally, a blast of… fire! That was fire that was being thrown off the ship! The fire would go into the sky, and then there would be a color burst!

He grinned at the realization. It was fire!

Bolin and Tenzin had both swam up to the surface to meet Mako. Tenzin's eyes widened at the sight of the ship.

"Jumpin' jellyfish!" he cried. Mako started diving and leaping closer, because he had to get a better look, he had to understand, and Tenzin called after him futilely.

As Mako approached, he was greeted by the sounds of humans, joyful and excited. They were talking and laughing and dancing and celebrating! The sounds of music hit his ears, and he couldn't resist temptation. Mako grabbed onto the side of the ship, fingers digging into the wood, and started to pull himself up so he could see what was happening, what was really happening.

He peeked his head up and watched the feet (the feet!) moving around, dancing and jumping to the music. There was a huge, furry creature that was bounding around excitedly too. Mako tried to remember reading… he believed that these were called sailors. He couldn't remember the name of the animal, though. It was an animal, right? It had a very large tongue. Mako smiled as its nose started twitching, leaning down to the floor of the ship, smelling, walking, and it started approaching him. Mako gasped and turned, hiding his face by leaning against the side of the ship.

He peered back, stricken with curiousity, and the animal licked him!

Then there was a whistle, pierce and shrilling, and a voice.

"Naga! C'mere, girl! C'mere!" Naga bounded back, and Mako leaned toward the opening again to take a look. The animal ran to a girl… a human girl. She spoke excitedly. "Whatcha doin', girl?" Naga licked the girl's face, and the girl hugged her back, burying her face in the soft, fluffy white that covered the animal. "Good girl!" The human had these bright blue eyes; and this smile, this perfect smile.

Mako had seen a lot of beautiful things in his lifetime. He lived in an ocean full of wonder and beauty and color and life; he collected shining human treasures, things that amazed and surprised and changed him. But still, this girl?

She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

"Quite a show, huh?" a voice from behind him squawked. Meelo, Jinora, and Ikki flew down beside him.

"Be quiet! Don't let them hear you!" Mako said.

"Ooooh, are we being sneaky?" Ikki asked.

"Sneaky, sneaky!" Meelo cried, flapping up.

"Shut up!" Mako hissed. He paused, looking back at the girl. "I've never seen a human this close before."

"Ready, Naga?" the human cried before tossing something in the air. Jinora's, Ikki's, and Meelo's eyes followed the flying object, but Mako couldn't stop staring at the human, who threw her fist out in the air. Her sailors watched in awe.

She created fire. It burst out from her, lighting her target, which exploded in a burst of color and noise.

That was it. That was a fire, and it burned because she wanted it to.

He felt the heat, and it felt familiar, like it was inside him too. Mako gripped the deck with one hand and held the other out in front of him, palm outstretched. No, he wasn't…

Jinora was curious. "Mako, what are you—"

A tiny flame rose up in his hand, and he gasped, nearly falling off the ship. He could… he was…

He wasn't just a lightningbender… he was a firebender!

But even that realization wasn't enough to keep his eyes off the human permanently. The flame extinguished, and he looked back, and watched her yell and bend fire again, lighting up the sky with flames and a smile.

"She's so beautiful," he confessed, staring at how the light from the fire shined off her face, how it created shadows and highlights on her cheeks and brightened her eyes, her lips.

"Silence, silence!" Mako looked to the new voice's owner. An older woman, with gray hair and a lined face walked forward, hushing the sailors. The woman continued. "We all know that today is special—"

"It's my birthday!" the girl cried, grinning.

The woman smiled. "And we have a gift for you, Princess Korra."

Princess… Korra? …Korra… even her name was beautiful.

One of her sailors strode over to her. "We hope you like it," he said lowly.

The woman was not deterred by the interruptions. "Now, it's tradition that each Avatar is immortalized in stone. Avatar Roku, Avatar Kyoshi, and even my late husband, Avatar Aang, had statues created in their likenesses. And now—" She gestured towards the mass covered in fabric, and the sailors standing by yanked off the covering. "You have one too!"

"Happy birthday!" the crew shouted.

Korra stared up at the stone and coughed against her hand. "Gee, Katara… I don't know what to say." She seemed to be half awe-struck, half crippled by embarrassment. Mako had to cover his mouth from laughing at her. "My own Avatar statue! It's something, alright…" She rubbed her arm, and Mako had to strain his ears to hear her. "But…I haven't even done anything to deserve this… I haven't even learned airbending yet…"

Katara placed a hand on Korra's shoulder. "You'll get there. Like I always say: one day it'll all click."

"I know," Korra said with a sigh. She looked up at her statue, and Katara changed the subject.

"We'd hoped it would be a wedding present," she said.

Korra finally laughed and pushed the woman playfully away from her. "Are you still sore that I didn't fall for General Iroh?"

"We all just want to see you happy, Korra. The Avatar always has a soulmate. And besides, maybe your soulmate would be the key to unlocking your airbending."

Korra climbed up onto the side of the ship and sat, stretching one leg out. Mako heard the frown in her voice. "Well, he's out there somewhere… I just haven't found him yet."

"How are you sure?" Katara asked. It was a question meant to get Korra thinking. She must be her teacher, or something.

"I just… I'll just know. Without a doubt. I'll meet him one day and bam!" She shot off a blast of fire. "Just like lightning."

Mako felt the electricity in his hand, and it became fire once more.

A rumble fell from the sky, and Mako turned, watching the lightning arc its way down into the ocean. Another crash towered directly above them. Mako stared at the rigid, bright marks making their way through, and he thought… if his bending turned to fire on the surface, maybe he could also—

"Hurricane coming!" a sailor shouted from the crow's nest, tearing Mako away from his thoughts. "Secure the rigging!" Almost instantly, water started falling down from the sky, but this water was different. It wasn't like ocean water. And it was cold. A streak of lightning flew across the sky again, and the shouts of the sailors pierced the air. They were terrified.

The ship was shaking, and Mako gripped onto the wood, the scarf tugging on his neck as it blew back. A blast of wind came through, catching under the wings of the three seagulls, and they were torn away from the ship. Mako watched, a pit of worry forming in his stomach as they were thrown into the sky. He felt the pit flop as the ship climbed over a wave, crashing back down.

The wind took hold of him too, and he flew back, grabbing onto some cordage before he was flung off completely.

The water rushed over the edges of the ship, pushing the sailors down, including the captain. Korra ran to the helm, trying to get the ship under her control. One of her hands gripped the wheel, the other stretched out before her… wait, was she waterbending too? Another burst of wind came through, and Mako was torn away. He fell into the ocean with a splash, and he instantly swam back upward, curving to the other side of the ship.

He watched in shock as the lightning struck one of the sails, catching it on fire.

"Look out!" Korra screamed raising her hands up to calm the flames, but they hit another wave too hard, the water solid and strong, and the whole crew was knocked off the ship. They fell into the water, bobbing up, trying to orient themselves again.

Mako watched as the old woman and Korra waved their arms, and spirals of water jetted the crew out onto a tiny boat that looked as if it was going to be eaten by the sea.

A barking could be heard from the ship.

"Naga!" Korra cried, diving into the ocean.

"Korra!" Katara yelled after her, but it was too late. Korra was already swimming back, accelerating herself with a shove of waterbending. She swirled herself down and the sea moved to meet her, and she bent herself back onto the ship.

She cleared a path through the fire with her hands, bending the heat back away from her. Everything was burning; it seemed to be too much for her to handle. "Naga! Naga, jump!" Naga backed up and leapt down, and Korra climbed on top of her, steering her back towards the edge of the ship as quickly as possible.

When Naga jumped off, however, Korra fell back, rolling onto the deck.

"Korra!" Katara shouted, trying to calm the waters around the ship. But it wasn't the waters she should have been worried about. The flames were overtaking, overpowering, and Mako started swimming forward. He had to help, he needed to help, he—

BOOOOOM.

The ship exploded, and Korra's body was sent flying off into the sea. After searching through the rubble, the pieces of wood and rigging and sail, he saw her, unconsciously clinging onto a piece of wood. She was only on the surface for a second before she slipped under, the waves swallowing her whole. Mako flipped back and swam down as fast as he could for she was sinking fast, and he knew that humans couldn't breathe the water like he could. His fin ached, but he was there, hands underneath her arms. He yanked her back up to the surface.

Color explosions still rained down from the sky.

Naga barked.

Mako kept Korra's head on his shoulder, and he swam backwards, swam to the shore.

The morning dawned bright and clean.

He'd laid her out on the shore, in an area almost surrounded by rocks, and he stayed with her, watching and waiting. The sand was irritating the scales on his fin.

Ikki, Meelo, and Jinora flew down and hopped over to the two of them.

Mako glanced up at Jinora. "Is she… dead?"

Jinora pried open one of Korra's eyelids, looking at her eye once before snapping her lids shut again. "It's hard to say," Jinora confessed.

Meelo brushed a wing over her hair, now loose and tangled.

Ikki hopped over to Korra's feet, picking one of them up and holding them to the side of her head. She looked up at Mako sadly. "I can't hear a heartbeat."

"Look!" Mako cried, glancing back at Korra's face. "She's breathing!" Her chest rose and fell, her lips open slightly as the air moved in and out of her body. He laid a hand on her face, stroking down, caressing her cheek with the backs of his fingers.

His voice came out of him before he knew what he was doing.

"What would I give

"To live where you are?"

He touched her lips, soft and full. He sang to her, only to her.

"What would I pay

To stay here beside you?"

The waves crashed against the rocks, washing Tenzin and Bolin up. Mako didn't notice them, however. He only could notice Korra, and he held her face in his hands as he sang, fin flipping against the sand.

"What would I do to see you

"Smiling at me?"

Tenzin's jaw dropped, and Ikki closed it for him, grinning.

"Where would we walk?

"Where would we run?

"If we could stay all day in the sun?

The sky began to clear, and beams of sunlight fell down on Korra's face. Her eyes still closed, she smiled at the warmth, and her hand reached up to his. Her fingers were strong, cool.

"Just you and me,

"And I could be—"

Her eyes fluttered open. A glow fell over Mako.

"Part of your woooorld."

A bark rang out from the other side of the rocks, and Mako looked up at Naga running over. He pulled his hand away and dived back into the ocean, just before Katara came after Naga.

"Korra!" she yelled. Naga licked her face, and Korra struggled to right herself in the sand. Katara leaned over and helped her up. "Korra, you scared me half to death!"

"A boy…" Korra said, holding her forehead with one hand. "A boy rescued me. He was… singing. And he had the most- beautiful voice." Her knees buckled, and Katara caught her before she fell into the sand again.

"I think it's time I get you home." She pulled her arm over her shoulders. "You look like you could use some healing. Come on, Naga."

Mako watched them leave from a distance. In his hands, he lit a fire again, the same kind of fire that Korra had created. Maybe humans and merpeople weren't so different after all. Both Tenzin and Pabu were sitting on Bolin's head as he bobbed in the water.

"Queen Lin will never find out that this happened. No," Tenzin said to Bolin, gesturing. "You won't tell, I won't tell. We'll both come out of this in one piece."

Mako pulled himself up on the rock he'd been hiding behind, leaning up so he could catch the last glimpses of Princess Korra as she stumbled away from the shore.

"I don't know when," he sang.

"I don't know how,

"But I know something's starting right now."

Korra walked away, and Mako watched her go. It left an ache, but he knew… he knew this would not be the last time he saw her. He would see her again. He would.

"Watch and you'll see,

"Someday I'll beee-"

The waves crashed behind him, and he pushed himself up higher on the rock. The scarf blew back in the wind.

"Part of youuur _wooooooooorld_!"

* * *

a/n: SORRY I AM SO TERRIBLE AT UPDATING MY . THIS IS OLD; I KNOW. I'LL KEEP UPDATING THIS AND DO A BETTER JOB AT PUTTING MY OTHER FICS ON HERE. SO SORRY. ^^;

ALSO. Many many thanks to Bryke, Disney, Alan Menken and all that jazz. THEIR INFLUENCE IS OBVIOUS.


	3. Chapter 3

An orb hovered in front of him.

It was a mirror of his minions' eyes, showing Amon exactly what their shared sight revealed. Hiroshi and the Lieutenant were quite adept at being in those very unexpected places, at staying hidden in plain sight. They watched the young merman, smiles wrinkling their smooth and slimy skin.

Mako's fin flipped behind him, slapping against the rock as he caught the last sight of Korra as she walked away. He sighed wistfully, but the sound couldn't be heard through the orb.

Amon's laugh echoed through the cave. It was too perfect, too perfect indeed. He'd been planning on taking control of Atlantis, but this?

"It's too easy!" he said, laughing, his tentacles pushing him away from the orb. He leaned on an outcropping rock, his lower body still undulating with the current and his satisfaction. "The child is in love with a human! And not just any human, either. He's in love with a princess… and the Avatar! I can hardly believe it!" His laugh resounded off the inside of his mask. "His mother will just love that… Queen Lin's lovesick son would make a charming addition to my little garden…"

Amon's eyes swept over to another hall of the cave. Tiny green polyps covered the rocky floor, their eyes scared and haunting, their bodies weak and wanting.

They were his.

And he laughed.

-

-

"Come on, Mako," Saikhan yelled out. The brothers were all in their home, swimming and joking and messing around. "We were going to spar. You've been in there all morning!"

Mako swam out of his room then, twirling his fin a bit.

"What is with him?" Song asked. Mako ignored him, though it probably wasn't on purpose. His mind was somewhere else… somewhere else entirely. He was back on the surface, back with Korra. She was showing him some firebending moves, the ones she'd use to light those loud, colorful things in the sky, and she was smiling and joking.

She was lovely and perfect.

Queen Lin had swum to their room, with the full intention of making them practice their bending.

"Hey, Mom," Mako said with a smile as he swam past her, brushing a kiss against her cheek. He hummed as he swam out of the hall, leaving his brothers in shock and his mother in disbelief.

"Oh, he's got it bad," Kehn said, popping his head over the rest of his brothers.

"What's he got?" Lin asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Kaelin piped up, lacing his fingers together and holding his hands beneath his chin. "Mako's in love."

"Mako?" Lin scoffed. But her expression softened. He was her baby, after all. Her youngest; her special one. So her voice was calm and gentle and curious because she didn't want him to grow up, even though she knew he already had long ago. "In love?"

But Lin seemed to be the only calm one, for just outside the palace, Tenzin was scuttling back and forth, his claws behind his shell as he paced nervously. Mako was perched on an outcropping rock above him.

"So far, so good," Tenzin said. Bubbles swooshed around him as he bended. "But I don't think keeping something like this a secret is going to be easy!"

Mako leaned back, holding his hand up toward the surface. A jolt of electricity surged through him, and his fingers trembled with the power of his bending. He was a firebender now. He had to keep reminding himself. Up above, up with Korra, he could create fire from nothing. Up with Korra, he…

His fist slammed back down on the rock as he sat up, his scarf flowing with the current.

"I have to see her," he mumbled to himself.

"Mako!" Tenzin said. "You need to stop with this jibber-jabber!"

"I need to see her though. She can teach me firebending!" He started to swim away, but Tenzin hooked onto the tip of his fin before he could jet off. "Or maybe she'd want to go for a swim and—"

"Mako, please—"

"I'll see her tonight! Ikki would know where she lives, or Meelo—"

Tenzin was thrown off in a swirl of bubbles. "Get your head out of the clouds and back in the sea where it belongs, Mako."

Mako, however, was doing a fine job of ignoring him. "Bolin could help! We could swim up to the surface and Bo could splash around to get her attention and—"

"No!" Tenzin swam up in front of Mako's face. "Down here is your home." Mako's eyes were wide. "Listen to me: the human world is an absolute mess. Living under the sea… well… it's better than anything up there."

Mako still stared up toward the surface. It didn't matter that this was his home, that this was all he knew. He wanted to know more, he wanted to know where all his treasures came from, he wanted to know firebending, and, most importantly, he wanted to know Korra.

Tenzin desperately wanted for Mako to see his point of view. And while he was often praised for his composing and songwriting abilities, Tenzin could sing too, and whenever the opportunity arose, he took it.

"The seaweed is always greener—

"In somebody else's lake."

Mako glared at Tenzin with a raised eyebrow as he grabbed his chin with his claw.

"You dream about going up there—

"But that is a big mistake.

"Just look at the world around you,

"Right here on the ocean floor."

Mako took in his surroundings, at the sea flowers and the coral, the colors dripping through the rocks, the bubbles and creatures and life that filled his home. A school of yellow fish, beckoned by the smooth tones of Tenzin's voice, swam up and swirled around him, lifting him up in the water as the twirled around his fin. Mako failed at suppressing a smile.

"Such wonderful things surround you;

"What more is you lookin' for?"

Tenzin was normally a stoic and calm crab, if he was able to keep his patience in check. Even when the music hit him, he kept himself under control, though his love and passion were obvious through his reservedness. But when he was singing, something changed.

For when he was singing, Tenzin danced.

"Under the sea,

"Under the sea!

"Mako, it's better—

"Down where it's wetter,

"Take it from me!"

Mako had sank back down onto the rock, and Tenzin landed on top of him, claws out, jaw wide as the lyrics burst from his mouth. He swung around and sang and danced, bending bubbles.

"Up on the shore they work all day—

"Out in the sun they slave away—

He grimaced.

"While we devotin'

"Full time to floatin'

"Under the sea."

Tenzin slipped off Mako's fin, catching the tip and sailing through the water. A bright blue lobster had joined in, and was drumming away on some clams. Tenzin himself got a few beats in before starting his song once more, this time with the lobster joining in.

"Down here all the fish is happy—

"As off through the waves they roll.

"The fish on the land ain't happy;

"They sad 'cause they in their bowl."

A fish trapped in a bubble bobbed its way over to Mako.

Tenzin sang alone.

"But fish in the bowl is lucky,

"They in for a worser fate.

"One day when the boss get hungry—"

Tenzin popped the bubble, and the fish plopped down, and finished the line:

"Guess who's gon' be on the plate."

Tenzin swirled up in a storm of bubbles. Sunlight was dripping through the water, like a spotlight on the show that Mako had somehow got stuck in the middle of. He couldn't believe it, but at the same time, he definitely could.

"Under the sea,

"Under the sea!"

A group of seahorses with feathery pink heads danced around Mako.

"Nobody beat us,

"Fry us and eat us—

"In fricassee!

"We what the land folks loves to cook,

"Under the sea we off the hook.

"We got no troubles,

"Life is the bubbles!

"Under the sea!"

A quartet of snails had heard him and joined in, repeating Tenzin's words.

"Under the sea!"

"Since life is sweet here,

"We got the beat here,

"Naturally!"

The snails echoed in key, and it seemed many more sea creatures had either heard Tenzin or felt the rhythm of the song and were swimming closer. The pavilion was the perfect setting for an impromptu concert, and everybody was snagging instruments or warming their vocal cords for a chance to perform with the master.

"Even the sturgeon an' the ray,

"They get the urge 'n' start to play."

The music was filling, spreading easily through the water with its sound.

"We got the spirit,

"You got to hear it,

"Under the sea."

Tenzin jammed out on the clams again during a few lyric-less beats.

"The newt play the flute,

"The carp play the harp,

"The plaice play the bass,

"And they soundin' sharp.

"The bass play the brass,

"The chub play the tub,

"The fluke is the duke of soul—"

The fluke joined in with a deep voice: "Yeah."

"The ray he can play,

"The lings on the strings,

"The trout rockin' out,

"The blackfish she sings,

"The smelt and the sprat,

"They know where it's at,

"An' oh that blowfish blow!"

There was so much joy, so much pride in what was happening, and more and more creatures were being lured in by the sound. The fish were dancing, octopi swaying, crustaceans clapping. Even Bolin came by, looking around in awe at all the performers.

Bolin, however, hadn't approached for the music. He had a secret for Mako, and swam through the crowd in order to get to him. Mako was still seated sullenly on the rock, refusing to get into the music.

Bolin curved a fin up to Mako's ear and whispered, and Mako answered with a simple nod.

The two swam off.

Tenzin, too caught up in the song, continued without missing a beat or realizing that his intended audience was already making his departure.

"Under the sea,

"Under the sea,

"When the sardine

"Begin the beguine

"It's music to me!"

His grin spread across his face. Everyone was dancing and singing and playing, and Tenzin was so absorbed in it all.

"What do they got? A lot of sand!

"We got a hot crustacean band!

"Each little clam here

"know how to jam here

"Under the sea."

Starfish twirled and shrimp sang and clams snapped.

"Each little slug here

"Cuttin' a rug here

"Under the sea."

A tiny snail hopped up on Tenzin's claw and blew his shell horn.

"Each little snail here

"Know how to wail here

"That's why it's hotter

"Under the water

"Ya we in luck here

"Down in the muck here—"

Dolphins, fish, slugs— everyone was joining in for the big finale.

"Under the seeeeea!"

But Mako was gone.

"…Mako?" Tenzin said. He groaned at the realization that the entire performance was for nothing. "Somebody has got to nail that boy's fins to the floor."

He shook his head. Mako was something special, all right. He was special and entirely too frustrating.

"Tenzin!" The timid yet familiar voice of a seahorse cut through his thoughts. She was shy, yes, but when Pema had something to say, she said it. "I've got an urgent message from the Sea Queen!" Her blush was hard to hide, but Tenzin didn't seem to notice.

"Queen Lin?" he asked.

Pema grabbed onto his claw unexpectedly. "She wants to see you right away!" Her voice had undertones of both nervousness and fear. "She said it was something about Mako!"

Pema jetted off, and Tenzin gasped.

"She knows!"

-

-

Lin's smile was rare. Beautiful, yes, but rare. But when she thought of Mako and the possibilities of him being in love, of her meeting the certainly lovely mermaid, of the joy she'd get from intimidating the poor girl… Lin couldn't help but smile.

She was desperate to know who the mermaid was. Who could have caught his attention? Her baby's attention? She would have to be brave and strong and beautiful.

"Who could the lucky mermaid be?" she said as she pondered aloud. Lin paused when she saw Tenzin peeking through the opening in the palace hall, his eyes wide.

"Come in, Tenzin," she said, her tone low. He scuttled closer, approaching with every intention of staying calm and reserved and at peace. But when he saw her looming over him, trident in hand, he was reminded of her skills.

"Yes," he squeaked. He had to cough to get his voice back to normal. "Your Majesty…"

Lin twirled her trident in her hands, staring at the golden metal, easily bent metal. "I'm concerned about Mako," she admitted. "Something is different. He's been acting… rather peculiar. Have you noticed anything different about Mako?"

"P-peculiar?" Tenzin was trying so very hard to keep his cool.

"Mako's been singing to himself, off in his own little world. You've noticed." Tenzin snapped his claws nervously. "I know you've been keeping something from me, Tenzin," Lin continued, leaning closer to him. The tips of her fingers skimmed over the lethal prongs of her trident.

"Keeping… something?"

"Cut the garbage, Tenzin. You know what I'm talking about. Mako's in love."

And at that, Tenzin lost his cool completely. He'd been trying so hard, but it was Lin and it was Mako and he'd told him so many times to stay away from the surface. All it took was that one word, and he lost it. "I tried to stop him, I swear! I told him again and again to stay away from humans. I told them that they were trouble, that he should be thinking of his position, be thinking of you, but he—"

"Humans?" she said incredulously. "What about humans?!" she yelled, straightening her back. The stones of the palace trembled at her fury. Her trident lit. Humans were a complete and utter threat to her city, and she refused to ever even considering backing down to a threat. Even the word sent her into a rage.

"Humans? Who said anything about humans?"

Tenzin's shell was thick, yes, but he still felt Lin's strength as she grabbed and squeezed him between her fingers.

She was… quite strong.

-

-

"Bo, what's this all about?" Mako asked as, for once, he worked to keep up with Bolin.

"You just gotta wait and see!" Bolin said, darting ahead. Pabu made a gesture of squishing down and back up, as if he were nodding.

Mako rolled his eyes. The last time Bolin tried to surprise him with something, it had turned out to be Pabu doing stupid circus tricks. This was bound to be interesting. "C'mon, tell me!" The three of them were nearing the grotto.

"It's a surprise!"

Mako stopped swimming and took it all in.

"Bo…" he breathed. The statue of Princess Korra, regal and warm, despite being made of stone, was set in the middle of the grotto. "How did you…" But his concerns were swallowed up. He couldn't stop staring at the statue. He flipped his fin and swam around it. "It looks just like her, doesn't it?" slowly reaching out his hand and touching the statue's face.

But no matter how beautiful it was, it paled in comparison to her.

It didn't have her skin, warm and brown. Or her eyes, bluer than the sea, than the sky. But it was her… it was the closest he could get to her…

His fingers slowly moved from her temple down to her chin. If only he could touch her again. If only he could be with her again. He'd never wanted anything more.

"Korra…" he whispered, unaware of Lin's eyes on him, of her waiting in the shadows, watching her son fawn over some human. He felt her there before he saw her, felt her grip tighten on her trident, felt her cold stare.

"Mom!" he cried.

Bolin darted behind a treasure chest with Pabu, shaking in fear. Tenzin watched, his face long and sad.

"I consider myself to be a reasonable mermaid," Lin began, coming out of the shadows. "The safety of Atlantis means more to me than anything. So I set certain rules, certain laws, and I expect those rules to be obeyed… especially by my own son."

"But, Mom, I—"

"Is it true that you rescued a human?"

"I had to!" Mako's attempts to defend himself were feeble, for although he was a capable bender, his mother still had the ability to intimidate anybody. She loomed over him.

"Contact between our worlds is forbidden. You know this. Everyone knows this!"

"But she could have died!"

"Then you should have let her! It would be one less human to worry about." She shook her hand through the water.

One less human… but this human wasn't just any human. Couldn't she see that?

"You don't even know her." His voice had turned cold.

"Know her?" Lin scoffed. "Ha! I don't have to know her. She's a human. A spineless, harpooning, fish-eating monster, incapable of—"

"But Mom, I love her!" He clapped his hand over his own mouth and moved further behind the statue. Her eyes narrowed.

"Have you lost your mind?" she hissed, knuckles white on her trident. "She's a human. You're a merman!"

Mako had no response.

"I've tried to get through to you. The obsession with the human things, going up to the surface. I've had enough of it. And if this is the only way to get you to stop this… this nonsensical behavior, then so be it."

Lin backed away, holding her trident above her head; Mako knew what she was going to do before she did it. And the worst part was that he could do nothing to stop her. He couldn't earthbend. But she could.

She pulled the trident back down, using it to help her bending. The grotto's shelves started collapsing, the treasures falling and breaking as they crashed to the floor. "Stop!" Mako cried, but it was useless. Queen Lin was determined. Any metal that he had saved crumpled in on itself… but that wasn't the worst of it.

It happened in slow motion, and Mako swam to his mother in a last, pathetic attempt to stop her. He could do nothing, of course. Lin pointed her trident to the statue; it took less than a second. It shattered with an explosive sound. Pieces of stone flew through the grotto, colliding with the broken treasures.

Mako turned from her and floated to the ground, curling his fin underneath him as he sat among the bits of rubble.

All the years spent… all the memories… gone…

Korra…

Gone…

Lin looked back once, her face tinged with regret, but her expression quickly hardened once more, and she swam back out of the grotto.

Bolin and Tenzin, now out in the open, approached him slowly.

"Mako," Tenzin began. "I—"

"Go away."

Tenzin hesitated but turned away to scuttle away. Bolin hesitated as well, wanting to say something, anything, but he too swam off, leaving Mako alone in the heaps of his shattered treasures… his piles of broken memories.

He wasn't alone though.

He had an audience.

The eels' two shared yellow eyes glowed as they lowered themselves down closer to Mako.

"Poor boy…" Hiroshi said.

"Poor, poor boy," said the Lieutenant.

Mako looked up at them swimming circles around him, the ends of their tails flicking as they moved.

"He has such a serious problem…"

"If only there was something we could do…

"But there is something!"

Mako crossed his arms defensively. "Who are you?"

"We represent someone who can help you… someone who wants to make things… a little more equal for everybody…"

Equal? If things were equal… maybe Lin wouldn't have such a prejudice against humans… maybe she'd be able to see that they weren't bad after all. Different, yes, but not bad!

The eels continued, voices smooth and slick. "He can make all your dreams come true…" They twirled around each other, and stared at him with their sick, yellow eyes pressed close together.

"Just imagine," they said in unison, "you and your princess… together… forever…"

Mako's brain was working at full speed, but he wasn't making the connection. "I don't understand."

"Amon has great power," they said.

"Amon?!" Mako had heard of him before. From what he knew, he was not someone to be trifled with. He'd heard many stories, all thrilling and terrifying. Apparently the spirits had given him his magic, his miracles. He couldn't… "No. Leave," he said simply.

"Suit yourself," the Lieutenant said as the two began to swim back out of the grotto.

"It was only a suggestion," Hiroshi added, flicking his tail against a piece of the statue back toward Mako. He turned at the sound and picked up the piece.

It was her face, still smooth and beautiful, even with its now jagged edges.

Her face… that he'd never see again, now that Lin knew what he'd been up to. So he'd never go back up to the surface, never witness firebending, never see Korra… unless he took matters into his own hands.

He'd done it before, when he was just a orphan, just a little urchin kid trying to survive. He did whatever he needed to do, whatever it took to get what he wanted, no matter how dangerous it was.

And he wanted this.

More than anything.

"…Wait."

-

-

Bolin and Tenzin were waiting for Mako to come out, waiting for him to calm down so they could comfort him.

"Poor Mako…" Bolin mumbled. Pabu squeaked in agreement.

"I didn't mean to tell," Tenzin confessed. "It was an accident!"

A shadow passed over the two of them, the shadow of Mako swimming with the eels. His gloves were tight over his clenched fists, and his scarf flowed smoothly behind him.

"Mako?" Tenzin said. The two swam up to meet him, and Tenzin's eyes fell on the two eels. "Mako, what are you doing with this… this riffraff?"

"I'm going to see Amon."

Tenzin gasped and clamped onto the end of Mako's fin. "No, you can't! He's a monster, he—" Mako flipped his fin, sending Tenzin tumbling back through the water. He whipped around with a glare.

"You can't stop me."

"But—"

"Why don't you just go tell my mother? You're good at that, aren't you?"

Mako and the two eels jetted off, leaving Tenzin and Bolin in their bubbles. After Tenzin righted himself, and after the shock of Mako's words had rolled off him, he started following, Bolin and Pabu at his side.

Mako had never been to these parts of the ocean before. These parts were dark, deep, and cold. He'd lived alone for so long, but he had never felt like he was alone, not with so many creatures around him. But there was nobody around. And it wasn't just that; the colors here were different, and that was unnerving. Mako wouldn't want to admit it, but it scared him. He couldn't back out of it though. This is what he wanted. He would not back out.

"This way," Hiroshi and the Lieutenant said.

The entrance to Amon's cave lay in front of them, mean and foreboding. Stone teeth, created with earthbending, were set in a monster's maw, waiting for them to swim through.

Mako pushed his fears aside and swam determinedly after the eels.

The cove leading into Amon's hideaway had very little light, but Mako could still see that the walls and floor were moving somehow. At first he thought it was seaweed, but seaweed didn't move like that. No, it wasn't seaweed. He squinted, sharpening his sight, and looked closer.

Hundreds, thousands of green polyps stared up at him with big, yellow eyes. Their mouths were turned down, their fear and want reaching up to him.

One looked almost… familiar. He could have sworn he knew a merman with that same hairstyle… a dark mop of hair that fell over one side of his face… he could have sworn he remembered that smirk back in a concert rehearsal. Was it… Tah—? But no. He hadn't seen him for weeks, he couldn't—

The polyp latched onto his wrist, twisting up his arm, simultaneously yanking him down to the floor. Others were reaching up for him too, their bodies stretching to him.

Mako grabbed the polyp, and pulled upward, freeing himself.

His heart was pounding.

"Come in." He heard a voice echo through the cove, deep and commanding. It was Amon. Mako neared, sweeping back hanging sea foliage as he swam. "You're here for the human girl, aren't you?"

Amon fell down from a different part of the cave, his tentacles sweeping out from under him. Mako tried not to stare, but his appearance was so strange, too strange.

Amon was masked and hooded.

Mako vaguely wondered what his story was. How did he end up here? In the darkest parts of the ocean? What sad tale would he tell if he asked? What was hidden behind the mask? Ugliness? Disfigurement? Scars?

"She is… quite special, yes? I don't blame you." He chuckled; his laugh was muffled by the mask. Mako floated closer, watching as Amon adjusted his hood in a mirror. "I specialize in… solutions. And the solution to your problem is very simple indeed. All you need to do is to become a human yourself."

Mako's stomach dropped. He'd never imagined himself… human? No, that wasn't— But the thought of it was so tempting. So very tempting…

"You can do that?"

Amon clasped his hands together behind him. "I am the solution. Of course I can help you." Mako couldn't see his face, and he really couldn't see his eyes either, but he felt them staring at him. Amon wasn't moving. "Poor souls with no one else to turn to." His tentacles undulated beneath him, yes, but he wasn't moving. Yet Mako still had the sensation that Amon was getting closer to him, breathing down his neck.

"I admit that in the past I've been a nasty,

"They weren't kidding when they called me terrorist."

Amon's singing voice was a deep bass, and Hiroshi and the Lieutenant had started flipping around him, curling beneath his arms and around his hood, under his tentacles as he approached Mako slowly.

"But you'll find that nowadays,

"I've mended all my ways,

"Repented, seen the light, and made a switch

"To this."

He was so close to Mako then, and Mako tried to make out his eyes, but Amon was already propelling himself away.

"And I fortunately know a little magic;

"It's a talent that the spirits granted me."

Amon raised his hands, lighting a basin with an eery, pink glow, and two ghosts of figures rose up dejectedly. Mako's jaw dropped.

One of the ghostlike figures was the spitting image of…

Tahno.

"And young merman, please don't laugh,

"I use it on behalf,

"Of the miserable and lonely that I see!

"Pathetic," he whispered to the eels.

He propelled himself back to the basin, leaning over as he gripped the stony edges.

"Poor unfortunate souls,

"In pain, in need.

"This one longing for a champion—" He gestured towards the woman in the cauldron.

"That one wants to be a star—" He pointed to Tahno.

"And do I help them?"

Amon snapped his fingers, and the figures swirled, changing. Tahno had his signature smirk, and the girl was draped over his arm like one of his many fans.

"Yes, indeed."

Mako's mind was racing. That's right… Tahno's voice had improved suddenly, tremendously. He'd almost gotten Mako's part in the concert… and probably would have had he not gone missing.

"Those poor unfortunate souls,

"So sad, so true."

Tenzin, Bolin, and Pabu were creeping their way through the forest of polyps that lined the entrance to Amon's lair. Bolin was shaking. Mako didn't notice though. He couldn't take his eyes off Amon, and the realization that his power was real.

"They come flocking to my cauldron,

"Crying, "Help us, Amon, please!

"And I help them!

"Yes, I do."

Mako was filled to the brim with fear and excitement. He wanted this; there was no other way.

"Now it's happened once or twice,

"Someone couldn't pay the price—"

The figures turned to Amon as he curled his hand into a fist, and the two spun down, reforming as polyps, the same creatures that had attacked Mako.

"And I'm afraid I had to rake 'em 'cross the coals."

Had they been trying to warn him? No, this was the only way.

"Yes, I've had the odd complaint,

"But on the whole I've been a saint,

"To those poor unfortunate souls!"

The polyps cringed with fear from Amon as he swam over them, back towards Mako. Using some of the pink seaweed that hung overhead, Amon wrapped it around Mako and pulled him close.

"Now, here's the deal. I use my powers to turn you into a human for three days. Got that? Three days." He held his fingers out in front of Mako's face. Mako had started looking around the cove again, looking at those creepy, pathetic polyps, and he felt the suckers of Amon's tentacle under his chin. He jolted him back to attention, and he watched in amazement as three tiny suns swirled around in the water under Amon's power.

"Now listen. Before the sun sets on the third day, you've got to get your sweet princess to fall in love with you—" The suns turned into a crown. "That is, she has to kiss you. True love's kiss and all that."

Bolin and Tenzin watched from the shadows; Bolin's teeth chattered with fear. But again, Mako didn't notice them. He was too busy staring at the image that Amon had conjured, of his body, his human body… running, not swimming. Running! Him!

"If she does kiss you before the sun sets on the third day, you'll remain a human permanently! But if she doesn't, you'll turn back into a mermaid, and you'll belong to me as one of my… Equalists."

"Mako, no!" Tenzin shouted, but his voice was quickly muffled by the eels' bodies, wrapped around him and Bolin, squeezing both tightly.

Amon grabbed Mako's chin and tilted it toward him. Mako could just barely make out his eyes behind the mask. They were cold. "Have we got a deal?" Amon's voice dripped with persuasion and charm.

Mako paused, thinking. His family… he wouldn't—

"One more thing," Amon added. "We haven't yet discussed… payment. We've both got to come out of this deal… equal, yes?"

Mako thought of his broken treasures, still in heaps in the grotto. He knew this all was too good to be true. "I don't have anything—"

Amon slapped a tentacle over Mako's mouth.

"I'm not asking much. You won't even miss it… what I want from you is—" Amon turned to him, his voice dropping to a whisper. "—your voice."

His… voice?

His voice was such a part of him, though. It was so entwined with who he was, just like his bending. He couldn't just give that up… and besides…

"But without my voice, how can I—"

"You'll have your looks, your pretty face. And don't underestimate the importance of body language, ha!" Amon danced mockingly.

"The girls up there don't like a lot of blabber,

"They think a boy who gossips is a bore!"

Amon took another turn around the cove, tentacles whirling underneath him.

"Yet on land it's much preferred for young men not to say a word.

"And after all dear, what is idle prattle for?"

The basin began to glow once more with the magic; a swirling smoke filled it to its depths.

"Come on, they're not all that impressed with conversation,

"All the ladies prefer it rare just like a pearl.

"But they dote and swoon and fawn,

"On a man who is withdrawn!

"It's he who holds his tongue who gets a girl!"

Amon slithered back to Mako, gliding his hand over his bare shoulders.

"Come on, you poor, unfortunate soul!

"Go ahead!

"Make your choice!"

The smoke rose and formed the image of Korra's face, smiling at him.

"I'm a very busy person and I haven't got all day,

"It won't cost much—"

Amon burst through the smoke.

"Just your voice!"

"You poor unfortunate soul!

"It's sad, but true,

"If you want to cross the bridge, my sweet,

"You've got the pay the toll."

Out of thin water, Amon conjured a contract, flourishing script running down its length.

"Take a gulp and take a breath

"And go ahead and sign the scroll!"

A sea comb appeared in front of him, begging for him to take it, begging for him to sign away.

"Lieu, Hiroshi, now I've got him, boys!" he whispered to the eels.

"The boss is on a roll!

This was it.

"This poor—

He was going to do it.

"—un—"

This was what he wanted.

"—for—"

He snatched the comb up determinedly, and held it in front of him.

"—tunate soooouuuuuul!"

Mako closed his eyes tightly and signed his name with a scribble. The contract rolled shut and flew to Amon's hand; it disappeared with a sparkle when he grabbed it.

The water began to swirl around Mako.

"Beluga sevruga,

"Come winds of the Caspian Sea!"

Amon approached slowly; Mako couldn't move.

"Larengix glaucitis,

"Et max laryngitis,

"La voce to me!"

When he tried to move away, he couldn't. His body was no longer his control. With a rushing yet unnatural feeling, It jetted towards Amon. He stopped when his forehead came into contact with Amon's thumb.

"Now, sing!" he growled.

It's all he could do. So he sang, his voice pouring out of him, the waters rushing and raging, and his body immovable from fear and something untraceable.

"Aaaah Aaaaaahhhh," he sang.

"Keep singing!" Amon shouted as his free hand fell to the back of Mako's neck, pointing his face upward.

"Aaaaaaaaaaah Aaaaaahhhhh!"

And he felt it leave him; he felt the cold enter his body. And it came out of his throat, glowing and yellow. His voice, still singing, floated behind him into the shell necklace that Amon wore around his neck. Amon released him, and Mako crumpled to the sea floor. He felt so weak.

And that's when he realized.

His voice wasn't all he took.

Mako's eyes widened.

…His bending.

But he didn't have time to think of that.

His body was being thrust upward into the water once more, and unbelievable pain ripped through his body as his fin split in two, tail smoothing into skin, ends thickening into feet. He couldn't swim, and most importantly, he could no longer breathe the water.

He reached up to nothing.

Tenzin and Bolin darted out from the shadows, curling underneath Mako's arms and swimming upward, fast, faster. He was running out of breath. He was going to die; it was all for nothing.

The surface was close, closer… and Mako burst through it with a splash, gasping, letting air fill his lungs in huge breaths.

He was alive.

He was human.

* * *

a/n: Thanks to Bryke, Disney, and Alan Menken. WOO.


	4. Chapter 4

The day was clear and bright, the ocean calm, and the waves familiar.

Princess Korra hummed a tune, the same one that her rescuer had sung, as she absently petted Naga. Her hand ran through the thick, white fur. When she stopped humming, Naga turned her head and looked up with just a hint of concern.

"It's okay, Naga. It's just… That voice… I can't get it out of my head," she admitted. Naga pushed her face closer to Korra's. "I've looked everywhere in the city for him… even down in Triad territory, but no luck."

She stood and sighed.

"Where could he be?"

-

-

Mako's front was sprawled across a rock, just near the shore. Tenzin and Bolin were panting heavily. After all, they were the ones who had dragged his body through the ocean for over an hour.

Mako turned over, leaning his back against the rock and brushing his hair off his forehead. His knees jutted out of the water.

His knees!

He had knees! And with knees come—

He lifted one leg out of the water, admiring it. His toes wiggled, and he broke into a smile. Legs! Feet! Toes! No more fin, no more scales. He was a human! This had really happened; it wasn't all a dream.

"Well, look at what the catfish dragged in!" Ikki cried, descending from the skies above. Jinora and Meelo were hot on her tail, flapping their wings to catch up. Ikki and Meelo landed on the rock behind him, while Jinora settled on his brand new shin.

"Something's different. Something is different…" Jinora hopped up a little higher. "New hairdo? You've been using the dinglehopper, haven't you?"

Mako shook his head. Meelo flew up once more to land on Mako's head. His talons tickled.

"New gloves?" Ikki suggested. Mako rolled his eyes, and started shaking his leg. Jinora bounced up and down.

"Legs!" Meelo said. "He's got legs! Look look!"

Jinora flew up to get a good look. "Look at you! How did—"

Tenzin groaned as he scuttled up on the rock. "He traded his voice and his bending to Amon in order to get legs."

"Mako's been turned into a human!" Bolin exclaimed. "He's gotta find that princess girl and make her fall in love with him and and and she's gotta kiss him!"

Mako attempted to stand; his legs shook violently, but with his arms out, he was able to keep his balance. And he looked down to appreciate his legs once more, but—

It seemed like legs weren't the only new addition to his anatomy… What were all those… dangly bits? He stuck out a finger and prodded it. It was kinda… soft? And squishy. He cupped it all, shifting it around.

Fascinating.

"Those are your human genitals, Mako," Jinora said with a sigh. He gave it all another squeeze. What an interesting sensation… very interesting… "You can let go of them now," she said. He dropped them sheepishly.

"Penis!" Meelo squawked.

"Never mind his genitals," Tenzin butted in. "Look at his legs! Human legs! My nerves are shot. What is his mother going to say? I'm going to march straight down there and let her know that her son has human legs. I don't even care if she throws me in jail for it!" He started crawling across the rock toward the sea. Mako reached down and grabbed him, holding him on his palms, shaking his head. "Don't you shake your head at me, young man! I bet there's still time. Yeah, time! We can just go right on down, ask Amon to give you your voice and bending back, then you can go home and…" Mako's face dropped.

He'd been wanting this for so long…

He couldn't give up on it.

He couldn't give up on her.

"You'd be… miserable for the rest of your life…" Tenzin continued shaking his head. "All right. I'll try to help you find that princess."

Mako grinned, tossing Tenzin in the air and catching him. He landed lightly, wind blowing out from beneath him as he fell into Mako's outstretched hands. Mako lowered him back down onto the rock.

Ikki flew off to the shore, and Mako waded over to her. "Now, Mako, if you wanna be a human, the first thing you need to do is dress like one!" She pulled a piece of canvas, certainly from the sail of a ship, up from the sand and toward him.

"Ooh!" Bolin cried, splashing up and down. "Makeovers!"

-

-

Naga sniffed the air.

Something was different.

She sniffed again. The boy. The boy for her girl! He was here!

She took off running.

"Naga!" Korra cried after her as she ran.

-

-

Meelo whistled.

"It's perfect!" Ikki said.

"Give us a turn," Jinora urged.

Mako spun around, the sand creeping up between his toes. He wore the canvas over most of his legs (and those strange dangly bits). It was tied to him with a rope that went up and over, starting at his knee and snaking up to his waist and down the other thigh. Huge bulges of canvas rose from up around the tight rope.

He ran his fingers through his hair and tugged on his scarf.

He was posing for the audience when a loud bark started their way. Bolin dipped back down under the water. Tenzin shrieked and hopped into one of the folds of Mako's new outfit. Mako started running towards a rock, trying to outsmart the thing, which was hopeless. He pulled himself up on top of the rock, and instead of attacking him like he thought was going to happen, the animal licked him.

Wait, that lick was familiar.

This was the same animal! This was Korra's!

That meant that she wouldn't be far—

"Naga!" Korra yelled out as she approached; her voice sent Naga running back, leaping around Korra. "What's gotten into you, girl?" she asked as she rubbed her, and Naga kept barking and hopping and tugging until Korra finally stopped and looked up and saw him.

She saw Mako.

Mako bit his lip nervously.

"I'm sorry if she scared you," Korra said. "I know she's a polar bear dog, but I tamed her myself! She's harmless, I swear!" Mako was leaning over closer. His eyes were golden and bright, brighter than the day reflecting up onto them. "You seem… familiar… Have we met?" Mako nodded enthusiastically. "We've met?" Naga barked. "Wait. You're the one! The one I've been looking for! What's your name?"

Mako's lips moved excitedly, forming his name, but no sound came out.

"What's wrong?" Mako tapped the base of his throat, shaking his head. "Oh… I guess you aren't who I thought you were. You couldn't be."

Mako sighed at the same time that Naga growled.

There had to be some way to get her to understand! Maybe if he explained what had happened, then Korra would know what was going on. She would know that he was the one who had saved her.

He reached out to get her attention, and she turned to him. "What is it?" He touched his throat again, reaching up to show that he'd lost his voice. "You're hurt?" she guessed. Mako gestured a no and tried again, moving his hand as if it were swimming. He was so focused on getting her to understand that he wasn't paying attention to how close he was sitting to the edge of the rock. With the swish of his hand, he fell forward.

"Whoa! Careful! Easy there!" Korra said as she caught him, letting his feet find the ground before loosening her hold. He was much, much taller than her, but she still held him steady. Mako took the briefest of moments to be impressed by her strength. Not only was she beautiful and an amazing bender and selfless to her crew and animal, but she was strong too? His knees buckled and he lowered, his own grip tightening on her flowy, white shirt.

"Gee, you must have really been through something," she said as he stared at her silently, eyes wide. "Don't worry, I'll help you. I'll help." Korra turned, letting Mako balance some of his weight on her, and the two walked across the beach toward the city.

Together.

-

-

He'd seen plenty of bubbles in his life. After all, he lived underwater. And Tenzin was an airbender. But Mako hadn't seen a bubble like this, floating in the air in front of him, reflecting the light and shining an iridescent color, a rainbow almost, even though he could see right through it.

He reached out for it, wanting to hold it and feel it, but it popped. He smiled.

Mako dipped his hands back down into the bath and pulled more bubbles up, blowing them off his fingers and letting them coast through the air.

He was to eat dinner with Princess Korra that night, and so one of the servants had taken it upon herself to get him ready. It was actually rather embarrassing how the two had met. Right after they'd returned from the shore, Korra had to run off to attend to some duty or another, so Mako had been wandering through the palace alone. His hands touched everything. The smooth wood banister, the tapestries that hung from the walls. Things felt so different out of the water.

He wasn't watching where he was going, and then a young woman hurrying up the staircase with a basketful of laundry wasn't watching either, and they collided.

Her basket fell to the floor, clothes and sheets and towels scattering everywhere.

"I'm so, so sorry," the girl said, leaning down to help Mako up. "I'm so embarrassed, geez." Mako's lips moved once more to apologize as well, but again, nothing came out. She looked up at him inquisitively. "Hey, you're that boy. You're the boy that came back with Princess Korra!" Mako nodded and leaned down to help her pick up the scattered laundry. "Shouldn't you be getting… dressed though?" She eyed his makeshift outfit. Mako stood and tugged on the canvas and rope and scarf that he wore. He was clearly already dressed.

The girl smiled. Her green eyes were very kind. "Ah, I see. Well, don't worry about it. I'll take care of everything." Mako handed her the last of the laundry. "Come with me!"

She started down the hallway, waving for him to follow, which he did. When he caught up to her, she turned to him again. "My name is Asami, by the way."

He would have shared his name too.

But he couldn't.

That didn't stop Asami from helping Mako, though. She'd filled a huge bath for him and somehow managed to create the bubbles that didn't pop. He was nervous and excited and feeling vaguely ill. He'd been through a lot that day, and Asami seemed to notice. She stuck around, helping him bathe, talking to herself a lot since he couldn't hold up a conversation very well.

"Don't worry," she said now, filling up a bucket of fresh, clean water. Her green eyes lingered on Mako's shoulders for the briefest of seconds, and she flipped her long, dark hair behind her before approaching him again. "We'll get you feeling better in no time, champ. Don't you worry." She poured the water over his head, and it cascaded down. He relaxed under the water.

She leaned over and grabbed the canvas that Mako had been wearing. Tenzin was still buried somewhere inside the many folds and crevices. "We'll just…-" She picked the canvas up and held it in front of her. -get this… this garment… uh, washed up…" She walked to the next room, where a group of women were washing clothes in huge basins, and tossed the canvas to them.

"Now, let me see," she said, and he felt her hands dip down into the water and curl underneath his armpits.

Mako would have screamed (or at least laughed) if he could when Asami yanked him out of the bath; he stumbled out, nearly slipping and losing his balance, and before he knew it, he was standing in front of her, cold and wet and quite naked. She walked around him, eyeing his measurements, tapping her chin as she thought. He worried that he should cover his dangly bits.

"I think… yes." She turned on her heel and strode back behind to a large armoire. She dug inside, pulling out different clothes and throwing them over her shoulder. "This should do." She whipped back around, and grinned as she proceeded to dress him.

It was an interesting experience.

She pushed and pulled and tugged him around like a doll, putting the clothes on for him, and really, it was for the best. Clothes were strange. And there were quite a lot of them that she wanted to put on him, layers on layers.

Asami called his outfit a suit.

He grabbed his scarf, because it didn't feel right not wearing it. "No, no, you don't need—" He glared at her. "Well, here, I can make this work." She threw the scarf around his neck and folded it and tucked the ends inside the jacket.

She put her hands on her hips and looked at him approvingly, proud of her work.

"Very dapper. You're gonna knock her dead, champ."

He smiled.

-

-

Tenzin fell into the basin, tangled up in the canvas that Asami had thrown to the other launderers. They were gossiping about Mako and how he couldn't speak and couldn't bend and how he wore rags.

"That General Iroh was even a prince! And she turned him down for this? This one isn't prince-like at all."

"Nobody even knows where he came from!"

Tenzin clung to the canvas, shaking as the woman ran him and the fabric up and down the washboard. She flung it high so she could hang it up, and Tenzin went flying, up through the window. He landed on some type of wood, and steadied himself.

He looked up.

There were pots, pans, knives. Lots of knives.

And a plate with a stuffed crab resting on bed of lettuce.

Tenzin tried so hard not to scream that he fainted.

-

-

Korra and Katara sat together at the dining room table. It was set in a room with walls lined with windows. The sun was setting fast. The sky was beautiful.

"I'm sorry, Korra, but young men just don't swim around rescuing people in the ocean and then disappear."

"I'm telling you, Katara, he was real!" Korra explained. She turned to the windows, staring out at the ocean. "I know it. He's out there somewhere. And I'm going to find him."

"Are you sure you didn't just use waterbending?"

"Positive."

"Was it the Avatar State?"

Korra looked down at her feet. "No."

A giggle came from from the dining room's tall, double-doored entrance. "Come on, don't be shy," Asami said as she tugged on Mako's arm, encouraging him. He was covered in shadow, but as he stepped forward, the sunlight hit him, lighting up his eyes.

"Korra," Katara said gently, and she looked up.

He was tall, handsome, and surprisingly sheepish in his dapper, new clothes, and Korra pulled at her collar nervously. "Uh… wow. You look great." She smoothed down the fabric of her dress. Mako gestured towards her, smiling. "Um… thanks. Yeah." She couldn't take her eyes off him.

Katara broke the silence when she rested a hand on his arm. "I'm sure you must be famished. Come, sit down." She led him to the table.

He sat, admiring all the shiny, human things. And there it was! A dinglehopper! He picked it up and started combing his hair with it, forcing it up with a little twirl.

He was such a convincing human. Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo would be proud.

But Korra stared at him, eyes wide with concern and confusion. Mako put the dinglehopper back down and stuck his hands in his lap. He bit his lip as the heat of embarrassment rolled over him. Maybe he wasn't combing his hair right? He didn't know what he did wrong. When he looked up again, Katara was leaning over to Korra, snarfblatt in hand. Korra shot out a tiny flame from her two fingers, lighting it. Mako's face lit up.

"You like it?" Katara asked. Mako nodded enthusiastically, reaching one hand out. Katara passed it over, and Mako put the snarfblatt in his mouth, inhaling through his nose and blowing out through his mouth. A big puff of dark smoke and ash exploded out of the snarfblatt, all over Katara's face.

Mako's eyes went wide, but Korra burst out laughing.

"Well, that's the first time I've seen you smile in weeks!" Asami said. Korra caught Mako's eye as the last bits of her laughter fell from her, the smile still on her face. Mako's lips curled up slightly, and although he was still embarrassed, he did not look away.

Katara wiped her face with her handkerchief. "Well, that was… fun. Anyway, Asami, what's for dinner?"

"Chef Tarrlok's special!" Asami said, clasping her hands together. "Stuffed crab!"

-

-

Tenzin stared at the backside of the man in the kitchen, who was humming a song as he scurried around, his three long ponytails swinging behind his back. He spun around, a bowl of freshly killed fish in his grasp.

He leaned down and smelled it.

"Ah, fresh from the Northern Water Tribe."

He gently tossed the bowl onto the wooden table, swaying his hips and he danced to the tune in his head. He tightened his bow tie, adjusted his chef's hat, and started to sing.

"Les poissons, les poissons

"How I love les poissons—"

He tossed one of the fish onto the table and pulled out a cleaver.

"Love to chop and to serve little fish!"

Tenzin lowered deeper into his shell with each chop of the cleaver. Fish bits flew everywhere.

"First I cut off their heads,

"Then I pull out their bones!

Tarrlok yanked the spine out of the fish.

"Ah mes oui, savez toujours delice."

Tenzin covered his mouth with a claw to avoid puking.

"Les poissons, les poissons,

"Hee hee hee, haw haw haw,

"With a cleaver I hack them in two.

"I pull out what's inside

"And I serve it up fried!"

He tossed the chopped bits of fish into an oil-filled pan. It sizzled.

"God, I love little fishes, don't you?"

Tenzin had to make his escape. Now, before he was noticed! He scuttled over to a lettuce leaf on the table and hid beneath it.

"Here's something for tempting the palette,

"Prepared in the classic technique."

Tenzin moved slowly away, clutching the leaf close to his shell.

"First you pound the fish flat with a malette,

"Then you slash off their skin,

"Give their belly a slice,

"Then you rub some salt in,

"'Cause it makes it taste nice!"

Tarrlok threw a few pinches of salt, rubbing it into the fish. Tenzin picked up the pace, but he hadn't gotten nearly far enough. Tarrlok lifted the lettuce leaf and noticed him.

"Zoot alors, I have missed one!"

He delicately lifted Tenzin up.

"Sacre bleu, what is this?

"How on earth could I miss,

"Such a sweet, little succulent crab."

He shook Tenzin, and his claws swung from side to side like a pendulum.

"Quel Domage, what a loss!

"Here we go, in the sauce,

"Now some flour; I think just a dab."

Tenzin sneezed as Tarrlok tossed flour onto him.

"Now I stuff you with bread,

"Don't worry, 'cause you're dead!"

Tenzin coughed out the stuffing.

"And you're certainly lucky you are.

"'Cause it's gonna be hot in my big silver pot!

"Tout-aloo mon poisson,

"Au revoir!"

Tarrlok threw Tenzin backwards toward the pot, but Tenzin's claw latched onto the edge, the boiling water just barely grazing the bottom of him. He jumped out and landed on the wooden counter once more with a sigh of relief.

Tarrlok turned. "Hmm?" He stabbed a meat fork down, catching Tenzin between the prongs, holding him up to get a better look. "What is this?" Tenzin proceeded to pinch Tarrlok on the nose who proceeded to drop Tenzin who proceeded to begin scurrying off back onto the stove. He balanced himself over the pot of oil, jumping out when Tarrlok reached for him. He slapped the pan handle, burning his hand and sending the pan soaring to the ground, where it landed on his foot.

Tarrlok was screaming, bouncing on one foot as he clutched the other. Tenzin had to get out of here. This man was insane! Tarrlok reached for his set of knives, throwing them all at Tenzin, who just managed to sneak under the cabinets and back up, where he thrust out his claws, bending the air so that the bowl of sauce tipped over onto Tarrlok.

They raced throughout the kitchen, Tenzin mostly trying to avoid his attacks, and Tarrlok swinging his cleaver whenever he got the opportunity. He grabbed his meat tenderizer and sprinted to Tenzin's hiding spot, but he slipped as he swung and all the dishes came crashing down.

The sound was loud enough that everyone out in the dining room could clearly hear that something was happening.

"I'll… I'll go see what's going on," Asami said, turning towards the kitchen doors.

She came in to find a huge mess. Pots and pans and food and dishes, broken and scattered all over the floor. One of Tarrlok's ponytails was smoking, and the front of his hair had fallen into his eyes. He seethed.

Tenzin had managed to outsmart him.

"What are you doing?!" Asami asked.

Tarrlok fell back with the shock. "I'm… I'm sorry, madame." Asami shook her head, grabbing the covered plates, and stormed out of the kitchen with a huff.

-

-

Back in the dining room, Korra continued looking over at Mako. He could feel her eyes on him, and he occasionally glanced up to meet them with his own. She was so very beautiful.

Her eyes were the perfect color of blue.

And she was looking at him! Even though he couldn't say a word, she still seemed to be interested in him. Oh, how he wished he could explain everything. He wasn't sure if… But no, he wasn't going to give up. He would be able to win her heart and her kiss before time had run out.

He was sure of it.

"You know, Korra, maybe our guest would like to see some places around Republic City?" Katara suggested. "A tour?"

Korra had to force herself to look at Katara. She cleared her throat. "Um, sorry, what was that?"

Katara's voice dropped. "You have to stop spending all your time moping about how you can't airbend. That's not going to solve the problem." She lifted the cover from her plate, revealing Tenzin on a bed of lettuce, surrounded by a pile of blanched broccoli. He drew a claw up to his mouth to shush Mako, who, after all, didn't need to be shushed.

Mako lifted up the cover over his plate, gesturing for Tenzin to hide.

Katara continued speaking in hushed tones to Korra. "You need to live your life. Get out now and again."

"Easy, easy. You know I like getting out of here when my duties and the White Lotus actually let me. So yeah, It's not a bad idea. As long as he's interested." Tenzin raced across the table, avoiding the silverware and the goblets. Mako slammed his cover back over his plate, hiding Tenzin successfully. "So," Korra continued, leaning closer to Mako. "What do you say? Wanna go on a tour of the city with me tomorrow?"

Mako nodded.

"Wonderful!" Katara said. "Now, let's eat before this crab wanders off my plate."

She looked down at an empty plate.

Korra burst out laughing again.

Mako chuckled silently.

-

-

That night, with stars littered throughout the sky, Mako was sitting next to the window of the guest room with his head propped up by his elbow. He stared down at Korra below, running around with Naga, whistling and laughing as the two played together.

Naga tackled her, sending Korra onto her back, and promptly started to lick her face. Korra struggled to sit up, so she pulled herself up with her arms wrapped around Naga's neck.

She was petting Naga when she glanced up and noticed Mako in the window.

She waved, smiling.

Mako waved back, and slipped back inside his room. His cheeks felt strangely hot.

"This has got to be the single worst day of my life," Tenzin said, looking up at Mako from the room's vanity. "I hope you appreciate when I do for you, young man!"

Mako collapsed onto the bed, sinking down into the covers, bouncing on the mattress.

Tenzin continued, "Now, we need a plan of attack. When she takes you on that tour of the city, you gotta make sure you're patient. Wait for the right moment and then you can pucker up your lips and—" Mako was already fast asleep, no worry in his expression. Tenzin shook his head and crawled on over to blow out the candle.

"You are hopeless, Mako."

His voice was kind.

Calm.

-

-

Below the water's surface, deep down in Atlantica's palace, things weren't nearly as calm.

Pema darted through the dark halls, her curled tail whipping behind her so she could get to her queen faster.

Lin glanced up from the throne when she heard her approach.

"Any sign of them?" Her voice was pleading, desperate. She needed to find Mako. She needed to find him more than anything.

She'd always thought that the kingdom was the most important thing to her, but now that her Mako was gone, she knew that that wasn't true.

"No, Your Majesty. We've searched everywhere. And we haven't seen any sign of your son or of Tenzin." Pema sounded both sad and nervous.

"Well, keep looking. I'll send out my other sons; they'll be able to help find their brother. Leave no shell unturned, no coral unexplored. No one can sleep until he is safe at home."

Pema looked down. "Yes, my lady." She swam away, leaving Lin alone with her thoughts, her horrible thoughts that painted pictures of Mako hurt or Mako dead. And it was all her fault. She'd been the one who'd lost her temper. She'd been the one who'd destroyed everything. She'd been the one who'd yelled at him. That's why he'd run off.

"What have I done?" she asked. "What have I done?"

And nobody answered.


	5. Chapter 5

The new day was full of expectation and hope and promise.

It was warm.

Katara and Asami stood on one of the palace balconies, waving farewells down to Korra and Mako below. Asami leaned over the railing enthusiastically, shaking her handkerchief out at Mako. He squinted through the sunlight, just catching the wink she sent his way. He blushed and turned back, gripping the sides of the saddle.

Korra had explained earlier that morning, when they were eating breakfast, that she did not know how to drive a Satomobile, and so they would have to tour the city on Naga. Asami teased Korra at the dining table about her lack of driving skills, which made Korra pout, which made Mako laugh. He would have explained that he had no idea what a Satomobile even was, but he couldn't really get the words out.

Atop Naga, Mako tugged on his new clothes, pants, boots, and a longish jacket. He wore the scarf again. Korra wore another dress, this one with a long, blue skirt, a white top and a black bodice. Her hair was pulled back with a bow.

She was stunning.

Korra urged Naga forward then, and Mako's grip on the saddle tightened as Naga started bounding ahead into the city. Tenzin bounced in his pocket.

Satomobiles, or at least that's what he assumed they were, whizzed past, and Korra dodged them easily. Naga jumped once to get out of traffic, and Mako's arms wrapped around Korra's waist instinctively. He let go almost instantly, and was very glad that Korra couldn't see the blush rising up in his cheeks.

Korra steered Naga past a canal. Bolin flopped in and out of the water, following them; Pabu stuck to his side. "Has she kissed him yet?" he hissed when he flung himself up. Tenzin emerged from Mako's pocket.

"Not yet!"

Bolin splashed. "Aw, man!"

The city was alive, more so than any part of the ocean that Mako had seen before. He tilted and twisted and craned his neck to get a good view of everything: the green of the park (so many trees!), the merchant carts on the streets (and oh, their food smelled so good!), all the people and all the children, running and laughing. There were huge, carved statues, and massive buildings that stood strong and tall.

One looked like it was glowing and was set apart by a bridge. They approached it along with a large group of people, chattering and excited about something. He looked up; a huge dome sat atop the building. Mako nearly fell off Naga trying to get a better look.

Korra and Mako rode up to the building (the arena, Korra clarified) and slid off the saddle. She took him inside, where they watched a game of sorts with bending. Mako sat on the edge of his seat, staring at the firebenders in particular. Korra called it pro-bending. He wished he could compete.

As they were leaving with the crowd of people, Meelo, Ikki, and Jinora soared down closer to the water. Bolin had continued following them where he could and had waited patiently outside the arena. "Any kissing?" Jinora asked, fluttering her wings.

"Yeah, any kissing? Hmm?" Ikki echoed.

"No," Bolin said, waving his fins. "Not yet."

"They better get crackin'!" Meelo shouted.

Mako climbed on top of the saddle once more, holding the sides tightly though not gripping them as he had before. Korra started off, but groaned at the amount of people blocking her path. "Come on, girl!" she said, tugging on the reigns. Naga bounded off to the right and leapt off the bridge. They were mid-air, and Mako's stomach was turning and his arms wrapped around Korra's waist just as they entered the bay. Her hands twisted and turned above their heads, bending the water around them.

Mako didn't let go of her.

Naga swam through the bay, all the way to the palace docks, and Korra slid off, walking towards a small, wooden boat. He followed hesitantly. He still wasn't the best at swimming with legs...

"Come on, I got something I wanna show you." She climbed in the boat and held her hand out.

He took her hand.

-

-

Twilight fell as Korra rowed the boat out, farther into the bay along the shoreline. The views of the city were wonderful, and Mako stared as lights illuminated and shadows grew between the buildings.

A group of tiny islands rose out of the bay, and Korra steered them toward it. They was surrounded by plants and grasses and flowers and a large willow tree whose branches skimmed the water's surface.

Bolin and the three seagulls watched, though Korra and Mako were now silhouetted by the sunset.

"I can't see a thing!" Bolin complained.

"Nothing is happening," Jinora said matter-of-factly.

Ikki groaned. "Only one day left, and not a single smooch! Not one!" She tapped her foot on the rocks. "Okay. We gotta get this going. We need some romantic stimulation. Vocals, perhaps?"

Jinora sighed. "Fine."

"Eee!" Ikki shrieked, flying off toward the island.

"Let's get this party started!" Meelo said as he followed, Jinora close on his tail.

Ikki had perched herself on a branch and started gargling out a song, her voice horrifyingly off-key. Meelo started wailing along with her, but Jinora couldn't find the courage to join them.

Korra rowed closer to the island, passing under branches. She flinched at the sound. "Wow. Someone needs to take those birds out of their misery." Mako looked up at the seagulls and cringed, slapping his forehead with his palm.

Tenzin's reaction, however, was beyond embarrassed. He slapped his claws over his head to block out the sound; he groaned. "I am surrounded by amateurs!" He glared up at the three before diving into the water. "If you want something done, you have to do it yourself." He snapped off a piece of a reed and swam back up to the surface. A group of turtleducks floated over to him. "We've got to create... the mood."

The turtleducks readied themselves, half of them flipping over onto their backs.

"Percussion!"

They started drumming on each other.

"Strings!"

Grasshoppers and beetletoads joined in.

"Winds!"

The reeds sang under the breeze.

"Words..."

Tenzin's voice, as always, was smooth, low, and perfect.

"There you see him,

"Sitting there across the way."

When she heard the song, Korra glanced up to Mako who nearly choked when he saw Tenzin.

"He don't got a lot to say,

"But there's something about him.

"And you don't know why,

"But you're dying to try-"

Tenzin leaned ever closer and sang softly into Korra's ear.

"You wanna kiss the boy."

Korra whipped around once before turning back to Mako. "Did you hear something?" she asked. Mako shook his head, and Tenzin continued, perched atop a lilypad.

"Yes, you want him.

"Look at him, you know you do."

Korra looked up again at Mako. Their eyes locked.

"It's possible he wants you, too,

"There is one way to ask him."

A flamingo joined into the harmony.

"It don't take a word-"

Mako leaned in closer, breathless.

"Not a single word-"

Korra's lips shook (they were so close to his), but she pulled away to row.

"Go on and kiss the boy!"

Frustrated, Tenzin dipped his head under the water to grab some backup.

"Sing with me now."

A quintet of frogs latched themselves onto the oar, and they rose up out of the water as Korra rowed.

"Sha-la-la-la-la-la,

"My, oh, my!

"Look at the girl too shy,

"She ain't gonna kiss the boy."

Mako didn't know what to do. He wanted to explain himself, and explain his feelings and tell Korra how much he cared about her, even though they'd really only known each other a short while. But he couldn't, even if he tried.

"Sha-la-la-la-la-la,

"Ain't that sad;

"Ain't it shame, too bad,

"You gonna miss the boy."

Korra was steering the boat towards the willow tree. She looked up. "You know, I feel bad not even knowing your name," she admitted. "Maybe I could guess!" She leaned back as she thought.

"Zuko?" she tried. Mako shot her a look of disgust, making Korra laugh. "Haha, okay, no... um how about Lee?" Mako shook his head. This was pointless.

Tenzin popped up out of the water and leaned over the edge of the boat to whisper, "Mako! His name is Mako!"

"...Mako?" she wondered aloud. Mako nodded enthusiastically. "Mako?" Her voice was stronger this time, and Mako grabbed her hand as he nodded once more. Korra did not let go of his hand. "That's kinda... nice..." She rested her other hand on top of his softly. "Okay... Mako."

The moon hung low in the darkened sky; the boat glided slowly beneath the willow tree's branches.

"Now's your moment,

"Floating in a blue lagoon.

"Girl, you better do it soon,

"No time will be better."

Tenzin rose up out of the water, tadpoles singing (ya, ya, ya, ya, ya) as they jumped over him.

"He don't say a word,

"And he won't say a word,

"Until you kiss the boy."

Tenzin dove back down under the water, beckoning a huge chorus of voices, of fish and turtles and other creatures. They rose up, all singing together.

"Sha-la-la-la-la-la,

"Don't be scared!

"You got the mood prepared,

"Go on and kiss the boy."

A swirl of fireflies surrounded Mako and Korra.

"Sha-la-la-la-la-la,

"Don't stop now!

"Don't try to hide it how

"You wanna kiss the boy.

Mako smiled at her, warm and waiting.

"Sha-la-la-la-la-la,

"Float along!

"Listen to the song!"

A few flamingoes silenced the three seagulls before they had chance to wail.

"The song say kiss the boy!"

A group of fish, including Bolin, popped up out of the water around the boat, squirting up fountains of water.

"Sha-la-la-la-la-la,

"Music play!

"Do what the music say;

"You wanna kiss the boy."

Korra bit her lip as she looked at Mako, at him looking at her. They wanted it. The chorus began whispering their lyrics, the anticipation building.

"You've got to kiss the boy."

Korra grabbed his hands and leaned closer.

"Why don't you kiss the boy?"

Mako tilted his head down and he glanced down at her lips, soft and inviting. His heart raced.

"You gotta kiss the boy."

Mako closed his eyes.

"Go on and kiss the boy!"

Korra bent forward, closing the gap between them, her own eyes fluttering shut. She was going to kiss him! Closer, closer, he could feel her breath, smell her, almost taste her she was so close to him and-

There was a sudden shake, and before Mako could let go of Korra's hands and grab on to the sides, the boat was tipping, sending them both into the water.

"It's okay, I got you," Korra assured as she reached down to help him up, though it did nothing to calm him.

He'd been so close.

Hiroshi and the Lieutenant wrapped their tails around each other in congratulations for ruining the romantic moment.

"That was a close one!" Amon growled, watching Korra help Mako up out of the water through his crystal ball. "Too close!" He paused, fingering the shell necklace that stored Mako's perfect voice. "The little tramp! He's better than I thought..."

Amon swam up in his cave. "At this rate, she'll be kissing him by sunset for sure!" He sifted through old potions, searching for the right bottle. "Well, it's time Amon took matters into his own tentacles!"

He threw the bottle down, and smoke started to ripple up from the basin.

"Lin's son will be mine... and then I'll make her writhe. I'll make her wriggle like a worm on a hook!" Lin had kept Atlantica from him for too long, and she had this coming. He'd wanted to equalize the seas for so long, and this was his chance. He was not going to let it get away from him.

He cackled, the laugh echoing creepily throughout the cave as he changed, as his tentacles transformed.

He laughed for he was the solution.

-

-

The moon glowed, full and bright.

Korra couldn't sleep; she was too anxious. Instead, she stood out on her balcony, playing and replaying the melody that she couldn't get out of her head. There was something about Mako... but he couldn't be the one, could he? He couldn't sing, much less talk... but she felt so right with him. She felt like she could be herself, not a princess, and most certainly not the Avatar.

She stopped playing and looked out at the sea.

With Mako, she could just be Korra.

Katara walked out onto the balcony and rested a hand on Korra's shoulder. "If I may say, Korra... far better than any dream boy... is one made of flesh and blood. Warm, caring, and right before your eyes." She gestured up to Mako's window, and she saw him walking around, preparing for bed.

The anxiety in Korra's chest lessened, and she smiled. Katara was right. Mako was the one for her. Whether he was her savior or not, he was her match.

He was the one.

Korra gripped her flute, and after a single moment of hesitation, chucked it out into the ocean; the waves swallowed it easily. She turned, ready to go back inside, ready to go straight up to Mako's room and tell him that she really, really liked him and thought that they were meant for each other, and he couldn't say anything in response, but that didn't matter.

She would kiss him, kiss her love.

But as she strode away, there was a voice. Distant, yes, but it was there and oh so familiar.

Korra turned again and leaned over the balcony.

It was a man! He was singing on the shore, singing that melody that had haunted her for what felt like eternity. She squinted to get a better look at him. His face was still shadowed, but she could see that his body was fit and lean and strong. A glowing light hung from his neck, and as she noticed it, a sudden warm feeling filled her body, and all thoughts of Mako left her.

Korra had found her savior.

She'd found her love.

-

-

Jinora, Meelo, and Ikki spiraled down towards the palace, down to Mako's room.

"Mako!" Meelo cried. "Wake up!"

Ikki landed and started to shake him awake.

"Mako!" Jinora said. Mako rubbed his eyes. "We heard the good news!" Tenzin, who had been sleeping on Mako's pillow, jolted awake. Jinora continued, "Congratulations!"

"We did it! We did it! We did it!" Ikki exclaimed, hopping around the bed.

"What are you three babbling about?" Tenzin said with a sleepy groan.

"Right," Jinora said. "As if you two didn't know. The whole town is talking about the princess getting married this afternoon!"

Mako looked up, confused.

"You know," Ikki said. "She's getting married?"

"We just wanted to wish you luck!" Meelo said, hopping around the bed.

"We'll catch you later, though. We won't miss it!" Jinora said as the three flew back out the window.

Mako sat up in his bed. Korra was getting married? Wait... wait did that mean...

Was Mako getting married?

Korra had decided to marry him?

She loved him?

Him?

He jumped out of bed and stumbled to catch his balance before running out of the room, out into the hallway with the grand staircase. He hurried down the steps, Tenzin following behind. Mako wanted to see her, to hold her and kiss her.

But he heard Katara's voice first and slowed; then he saw Korra standing with another man.

He stopped to eavesdrop.

"Well, I'm sorry I doubted you, Korra, but it seems this mystery man of yours does, in fact, exist!" Korra leaned into the man as she clutched his arm. He was tall, strong-looking, and very handsome. He practically exuded charm. "And he is quite something, isn't he?"

Tenzin's jaw dropped.

"Congratulations," Katara said.

"Noatak and I wish to be married as soon as possible," Korra said, voice unwavering.

Mako's stomach twisted. No... no...

"Yes, but these things do take time," Katara said.

"This afternoon, Katara," Korra said. Mako lost the feeling in his legs, and he fell back against one of the staircases columns, sinking down to the floor. This couldn't be happening. "The wedding ship departs at sunset." His heart physically hurt; this couldn't be happening! He loved her, and he wanted nothing more than to tell her how much he loved her, but she was going to marry someone else?

...No...

"Very well," Katara said. "As you wish."

Mako ran.


	6. Chapter 6

The embarking wedding boat was ornately decorated, both with its golden moldings and with its variety of well-dressed guests. It was loud, exciting, and very human. The setting sun glowed in the distance, streaking the sky with colors.

Mako, standing on the dock, watched as the ship departed.

He watched as she departed.

He pressed his back against the column with a heavy sigh, sliding down.

He just didn't understand, neither why Korra had fallen so hard and so fast for this Noatak character nor why it hurt so bad to see her go. He'd been through so much in his life… losing his parents, wandering the oceans as a sea urchin, getting caught up in things he shouldn't have been in… he'd been through so much pain, and yet this hurt more than anything ever had before.

Mako rested his elbows on top of his knees, hanging his head and closed his eyes.

Defeat tasted bitter. And it hurt.

But what hurt wasn't the fact that the contract he'd signed could now never be fulfilled and that he would become a polyp, like so many others who'd failed. And it wasn't the fact that he'd never experience so many things that he still had not experienced. What hurt him, what ached deep in his chest, was the fact that he would never see her again.

Because he couldn't imagine his life without her.

Tenzin scuttled closer, worry and concern clear on his face. Bolin, watching from the water, openly cried seeing Mako so beaten, so broken.

And when Mako looked up, when he watched as the ship sailed into the glow of the sun, he felt empty. So very empty.

Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo soared through the sky, chasing one another, a blur of white wings. They were singing and laughing, but as they approached a ship, Jinora shushed them.

"Listen!" she said as they flew closer.

It was singing; a man's voice echoed from somewhere inside the ship. It sounded so familiar, the voice of someone they knew well. Who was inside the ship? They floated down and landed on the ship, poking their heads around to peer into the circular window.

"Things are working out according to my ultimate design," the man sang. He was tall and fit with dark hair and a handsome face. He wore a seashell necklace around his throat. They did not recognize him, but they knew his voice very well.

…It was Mako's.

Ikki gasped, but Jinora prodded her in the side before she had a chance to speak.

"Soon I'll have that little merman and the ocean will be mine!"

The man, standing in front of a vanity mirror, opened the drawer and reached inside. The three seagulls squished even closer to get a better view. The man pulled out a mask, white and gray and red.

The man laughed, cackling at his reflection in the mirror, the reflection that showed his true identity.

"Amon!" Meelo cried as the three jumped away from the ship, flapping their wings to remain airborne.

Ikki began to stammer. "Oh no— He's gonna— We've gotta—"

Jinora cut in: "We've got to tell Mako!"

And they were off again, racing through the skies back to the dock, where Mako still sat, staring blankly off into the distance.

"Makooooo!" Jinora yelled.

"Makooooooooo!" Ikki echoed.

They landed all at once; feathers flew off of them as they all tried to talk at once.

"We were flying, and then we heard a voice—"

"Your voice!"

"Yeah, we heard your voice!"

Mako looked at them, clearly confused; he put up his hands to slow them down, and they silenced one another. Jinora was the one who spoke clearly:

"It's Amon. Amon is marrying the princess in disguise."

Tenzin drew himself closer. "Are you sure about this?"

"Have I ever been wrong?" she said. Ikki and Meelo shook their heads behind her.

Mako stood up.

"Oh, this is bad," Bolin exclaimed. "This is really bad. Really, really bad. What are we going to do?" But Mako wasn't listening. All he could hear was Amon's warning, the words of their contract echoing in his mind. _Before the sun sets on the third day…_

He was still human.

He could do this.

So Mako sprinted to the edge of the dock, diving into the sea, his hands scooping the water behind him as he attempted to swim. But when he surface, he flailed, trying to keep himself afloat, trying to get his legs to work the same way his fin did without fail. He had to get to Korra, he had to. It didn't matter that he couldn't swim as a human. Nothing mattered except getting to her.

It didn't matter how hard it was.

But Tenzin was already snapping off the ropes that held a bundle of kegs together, and they rolled out into the sea.

"Grab on!" he cried, and Mako obeyed, gulping for air. "And Bolin!" he continued, "You get Mako to that ship as fast as you can!" Mako took the rope and threw the looped end over Bolin, who shimmied it around his body.

"You got it, sir!" Bolin said as he swam, Mako floating behind him.

"I've got to get to the Sea Queen," Tenzin said, speaking to himself. "She has to know."

"What about us?" Ikki asked.

"What about us? What about us?" Meelo repeated.

"You three need to find a way to stall that wedding!" And Tenzin dove beneath the water's surface. The seagulls spoke as one.

"Stall the wedding?"

"I know how."

"You ready?"

They rose up into the air, squawking horribly as they flew, past the willow, past the sandbars, past the coast. And their cries for help were heard. Birds, dolphins, flamingoes, starfish… all looked up.

"This is an emergency!" Ikki told a group of seals while flying past. "Let's go!"

And the fleet rose up and followed them.

Korra was absolutely stunning.

She walked down the aisle, arm wrapped around Noatak's. Her white dress seemed to glow in the sunlight, and her hair was down, its light waves being tickled by the wind. And as they walked, the guests all couldn't take their eyes off the lovely couple, off their princess and Avatar, finally marrying. So nobody really noticed Naga growling at the groom, and nobody really noticed him kicking her in the muzzle.

And nobody noticed Korra's blank expression, her eyes locked in a trance, unfeeling and unloving and dead.

But still, the couple approached the acolyte, and stopped.

"Dearly beloved," he began.

Bolin struggled pulling the keg through the water.

"We'll… get there… Mako…" he said between gasping breaths. "I… believe I… can do it…"

Mako didn't doubt that he could, but as he looked at the setting sun, sinking lower and lower behind the horizon, he just didn't know if he'd be able to get there in time.

_Before the sun sets on the third day…_

Mako wasn't the only one watching the sun. Noatak glanced off to the side, watching it set with a smug expression as the acolyte stumbled over his words.

"Do- Do you, Avatar Korra.. ta-take this man to be your husband?"

"I do," she said. The acolyte continued:

"And do you, Noatak—"

A loud squawk pierced through the sky. No, that was more than one. Three different birds screeched as they soared closer. Noatak glanced up, just as Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo, followed by a flock of bluebirds dove down through the sky. He ducked quickly, covering his head, and the wind rushed over him.

They reeled around, racing back, this time flying between his legs. Korra was unfazed. Naga barked happily, Katara struggling to control her.

Seals leaped over the edge, honking as they flopped amongst the guests. The three seagulls poured water over Noatak, a lobster pinched his nose, and a group of starfish threw themselves onto him.

"Get off me!" he yelled, but the animals continued their assault.

Down below, Bolin finally reached the ship's side, and Mako grabbed onto one of the oars and began to pull himself up.

Korra was there; he had to help her, had to save her.

Noatak fell into the wedding cake, just as Mako grabbed the side rail and peered over the edge. Ikki was screaming into Noatak's face and Meelo was still spitting water on him and Jinora yanked at the seashell necklace and Naga, still barking, finally escaped Katara's hold and bounded forward. Noatak screamed as she bit his backside, and the necklace soared through the air towards Mako.

It shattered at his feet.

And everything happened at once. Mako's voice rose up, muffled at first, but growing louder and louder. Korra's eyes lost their dullness as the spell was broken. Noatak seethed. And the guests, including Katara, looked on in astonishment as Mako's voice returned to him, and he sang out one, final note, loud and clear and beautiful.

Korra turned to the sound.

"…Mako?" she said.

"Korra!" he said, testing his firebending in his hands as he approached. Naga jumped around him excitedly.

"You can talk!" Korra exclaimed, running forward and throwing her arms around Mako, letting him spin her through the air, dress whirling with her. She slid down his front, and their hands found each other effortlessly.

"Korra! Get away from her!" Noatak shouted, but his voice was different now. It was cold, commanding, no longer Mako's. His hand rose up to his mouth in shock.

"It was you all along!" Korra said, completely ignoring Noatak. "It was you! You're the one!" She stood on her tiptoes, holding Mako's hands close to her heart.

"Korra, I wanted to tell you," he said, leaning down. He pulled her up, closing the distance between their lips. He had her and she had him. Amon wouldn't, would never—

But pain shot through his legs, and he gasped at the sensation, falling against Korra. She held him up as his face contorted, as he reacted to the transformation. His pants started to rip. The skin on his legs burst open as the deep, red scales cut through, thousands of tiny slices racing across all at once, and it burned as his legs melted together once more.

"You're too late!" Noatak screamed. Mako sank to the ship's deck, fin flailing helplessly. "You're too late!" he repeated, arms raised up as his own transformation hit him. His clothes burst into shreds as his tentacles rushed out from beneath him. His mask, hidden somewhere in his jacket, clattered to the ground.

The wedding guests screamed.

Amon took a moment to secure his mask onto his face before rushing forward, walking on his hands with his tentacles flopping and pushing and twisting behind him. Mako summoned fire into his hands, but Amon grabbed onto Mako before he could attack and the two fell over the edge of the ship.

"Mako!" Korra reached over the side, bending the water away so she could see deeper, deeper, but they'd already gone.

Amon, hands clenched around Mako's wrist, did not react when he sent a burst of electricity through his arm. The two sunk down to the ocean's floor, Mako's jacket floating off him as they swam.

"Poor, little prince. It's not even you I'm after. I have much bigger fish to fry." His voice was so cold.

"Amon, stop!" Lin cried, trident in hand. Pieces of coral and chunks of rock were floating around her, responding to her fury. Tenzin glared up at Amon from beneath Lin's fin, and Amon only laughed.

"And how are you, Queen Lin?" he teased.

"Let him go!" A rock slammed into the ground threateningly.

"Not a chance. He's mine!" He yanked on Mako's wrist and threw him back. He made an attempt to swim forward, but Hiroshi and the Lieutenant had already wrapped themselves around his arms, pulling him back. "We made a deal!"

Mako struggled against the eels. "I'm sorry! Mom, I'm sorry!"

Amon summoned the contract, and it glowed ominously as he shoved it into Lin's face. She scanned over it.

_For eternity_, it read, but Lin was already shooting a blast of light out of her trident, forcing Amon back. The contract stayed unbroken, and Amon cackled. Lin gaped, knowing she was powerless.

"See? The contract's legal, binding, and completely unbreakable… even for you." He sneered as his tentacles undulated beneath him, pushing him close to Lin. "Of course… the son of the Sea Queen is a very precious commodity." The contract swirled shut with a blinding light, and jetted over to Mako. The light whorled around him, and he shrank down, the polyp transformation slowly affecting his body. "But!" Amon cut in. "I might be willing to make an exchange… for someone even better."

"Don't try to stop me," Korra said as she jumped over the ship's railing into the tiny boat floating at its side. She had ripped off her wedding gown, and was now wearing only her loose, white shirt and dark pants, which she had worn beneath the dress.

"Korra, what are you doing?" Katara yelled as she leaned over the side. Korra began to bend the water, forcing the boat to zoom across the surface.

"I've already lost him once. I'm not going to lose him again!"

"Now, do we have a deal?" Amon said, holding out the contract in front of Lin once more, whose face was determined as she tried to ignore the pain of watching Mako shrink lower and lower as he transformed.

She closed her eyes and raised her trident, signing her name over her son's.

"It's done then!" Amon cried, and Mako was rising up again in a swirl of light, changing back into a merman, while Lin began to shrink down, surrounded by the glow.

"No!" Mako yelled over Amon's laughter, but Lin was growing smaller and smaller, and she shrunk down, hidden by the walls of her crown. Tenzin stared at her as she peered over its side.

"Your Majesty…" he said, knowing that she was completely powerless because of that sacrifice. Amon had taken her bending. He knew it.

Mako's throat hurt, and he spoke softly. "Mom?"

Korra, spotting the glow above the surface of the water, stood above, one foot on the edge of her boat. She held a sharp rock aloft with bending, ready to chuck it down into the water.

His mother was nothing, a polyp, pathetically staring up at everyone from the sea floor. Mako's voice cracked, and the name he hadn't spoken since he was a merchild, the name he'd never called the Sea Queen, burst from his lips: "Mommy?"

And Amon reached down for the crown, lifting it up and placing it on his head.

"At last," he said. "It's mine!" The trident rose up into his hands, and he began to laugh once more as its glow lit him up, casting shadows on his mask.

Mako bent his fin beneath him and leaned forward to Lin, seeing her like he'd never seen her before: defeated, broken, nothing. A sick feeling tumbled through his body, and he glanced up at Amon. He felt his electricity coursing through his veins; it lit his hands up.

"You… you monster!" he shouted, pushing himself off the sea floor towards Amon. Hands outstretched, electricity burning through him, he focused his energy, ready to zap Amon. But just before Mako was able to latch himself onto him, Amon had lifted up the trident.

Mako froze in the water; his arms twitching, his fin stretching out, unnaturally straight.

No…

He couldn't…

"You're very skilled, little prince, but not even you can resist my full power."

He held the trident up to Mako's throat, the sharp points pressing into his skin, and he felt his body move under Amon's control, even more powerful now that the trident was so close. Mako didn't think Amon could bend, didn't know that anybody could bend like this…

But he knew it to be true, no matter how much he wanted it to be false.

Amon was a bloodbender.

"Besides, contract or no contract…" The points punctured Mako's neck slightly, and his body twisted, its levels of rigidity shifting. "You're mine—aaaAAH!" A sharpened rock had sliced the side of his arm, and Amon whipped around. Mako was released from his bloodbending grip, and he swam up to see what had thrown a rock down.

Korra.

She glared down at Amon, expression fierce, ready for the challenge, but she didn't know Amon was a bloodbender. Mako raised a hand to attack. If he got her under his control, she wouldn't have any air and then—

"Korra, look out!"

And she swam to the side, bending the water around her, missing the line of light that had zipped past.

"Get her!" Amon yelled at Hiroshi and the Lieutenant, and the two eels gave chase while Amon forced Mako back under his control, his body writhing as he watched Korra make her escape. She threw her hands down at her side, and the water bent around her, jetting her back up to the surface. She broke through, taking one gasp of breath before the eels twisted themselves around her, yanking her back down under the water.

Her eyes were wide with fear.

"Come on!" Tenzin yelled, swimming to meet the tussle. He snapped his claws, bending bubbles before he clamped down on Hiroshi's tail. He succumbed to the pain and released Korra.

Bolin bounced on the ground, popping a chunk of earth up from the sea floor, and with a second bounce and a flap of a fin, sent it flying through the water to hit the other eel in the head. "Take that, mustache guy!" he shouted, and the Lieutenant also lost his grip on Korra, who was floating free in the water.

"Say goodbye to your little sweetheart," Amon teased, drawing his trident up, ready to fire at Korra.

Mako's fin ached as it jerked under Amon's bloodbending. But his hand was still raised, and nothing mattered more in that moment than saving Korra. He felt it, growing in his hand. He had to attack, but he couldn't do anything, but he had to something. He closed his eyes, face scrunching up with rage and exhaustion and willpower and it was there. The electricity burned down his arm and he threw his hand forward, grabbing onto one of Amon's tentacles; the shock rolled through him, and he lost his aim, shooting the jet of light from the trident not at Korra, but rather at Hiroshi and the Lieutenant.

A burst of light covered them, and they disappeared.

"No!" he growled, teeth clenched. Amon seethed, shadows billowing out from underneath him. Bolin and Tenzin stared, shaking, as Amon grew in size.

Mako, out of Amon's grip, swam up to meet Korra, who was bending herself upward as well. He broke through the surface and grabbed onto her.

"Korra, you have to get away. We have to get you out of here."

She looked at him fiercely. "I'm not leaving you!"

But bubbles were rising up from underneath them, the glow of magic lighting them from below. And Amon's crown, now unbelievably immense, broke them apart. They clung to the metal as Amon rose up from the sea.

Korra grabbed Mako's hand, and the two dove back down into the sea. Mako held Korra close as the waves crashed around them, as Amon rose above them, laughing.

"You pitiful fools!" Amon bellowed, voice deep and resounding.

"Look out!" Korra yelled as one of his massive tentacles came crashing down; the two ducked beneath the surface. The skies broke and it began to rain.

"I am the ruler of the ocean!"

"Korra!" Mako yelled, stretching his arm out as the powerful waves separated them. Korra swayed her hands and pushed up, lifting herself out of the water with bending, preparing for an attack, but Amon forced a giant wave to rise up; Korra lost her balance and was thrown back, flipping through the air and plummeting back into the ocean.

Mako stared up as Amon began to stir the sea with the trident, creating a whirlpool that pulled all the ocean debris up from the bottom, including the sunken ship.

"Bow down to my power!" Amon yelled, and Mako grabbed onto a nearby rock to avoid getting sucked into the whirlpool. Bending underwater wasn't going to work. He had to firebend. He summoned a flame into his palm, uncertain as what he should do; off in the distance, Korra was raising herself up in a column of water again, this time pushing her arms out, sending a burst of fire out at Amon. Mako imitated her, but both jets of flame seemed to do no damage.

If bending electricity wasn't working, and neither was firebending…

A steak of lightning ran across the sky.

But wait, maybe he could—

His train of thought stopped as Korra was swept below the surface once more, just as the sunken ship moved past, rising up out of the sea. She grabbed onto a dangling rope and started pulling herself up, finally tumbling over the side of the rotting ship.

Mako tore his eyes away from Korra to see Amon shoot a beam from the trident, hitting the rock he was gripping. He plummeted down into the powerful whirlpool, watching the ocean twist around him as he fell.

Up above, Korra sprinted to the helm, struggling to get it under her control. She attempted to bend the ocean around her, but it was impossible. She needed it. She needed to airb—

Mako hit the ocean floor with a thud, and looked up through the air to see Amon leering down at him, trident glowing as brightly as ever. More jets of light burst down, and Mako avoided the first two. As he flipped around, Mako felt it inside him. Not fire, like he had every time he tried to bend on the surface… he felt it.

Lightning.

He evaded another attack and spun around, jerking his hand back and out again, and lightning, crisp and cold, exploded out of his fingers.

Amon screamed and slowed, but regained his composure easily.

"Again, little prince," he bellowed, "It is a shame to kill someone so talented. I've never had someone break free from me before." Mako's eyes widened. Amon raised his trident, aiming it straight down at Mako. "For true love!"

Korra's heart stopped, and Katara's words came to her.

_I promise you, one day all the practice you've been doing and all the time you've put into training will pay off, and everything will just click._

_And besides, maybe your soulmate would be the key to unlocking your airbending._

She'd known it all along, but it took until this moment, with Amon poised and ready to kill, that it finally clicked.

He was the one.

"NO!" Korra screamed, punching the air, and it came, flying from her fist; she could airbend! The gust of wind she created rose up, billowing the sails. She had control of the ship again. She punched again, and the sails exploded with her power. The ship closed in on Amon, Korra bended the air around the sails one last time, and the broken bowsprit skewered Amon all the way through.

He cried out in pain and in anger, and his tentacles curled around the sides of the ship in one last effort, but Korra was leaping off the side, and bending herself through the sea. She pulled herself onto the sand, panting, and collapsed.

Amon's body sank, disappearing with bursts of light and smoke, and the trident he'd held fell down to the ocean floor. As it fell, all the polyps, all the merpeople whose bending Amon had taken, changed back into their original form. They fled from his lair, and the trident continued to fall. When it contacted the earth, right in front of Lin, she rose up, and grabbed it.

It was done.

Mako watched from afar.

Korra, still sleeping off her exhaustion on the shore, rolled in the sand, and he watched her, wishing that he could hold her hand, wishing that she could, somehow, know that he was there for her. She was safe now, but she'd definitely gotten hurt. There were cuts on her arms, for her sleeves had been ripped off her shirt at some point during the fight. Her pants were torn too at the knees; her legs showed blossoming bruises. She was safe, yes, but he wasn't with her.

And it hurt.

But while Mako was watching Korra, Lin was watching Mako. Tenzin floated at her side.

"He really does love her, doesn't he, Tenzin?" Lin said.

"Yes. I think he really does."

"Well… I guess there's only one problem left."

"And what's that, Your Majesty?" Tenzin asked.

"How much I'm going to miss him."

Tenzin looked up, shocked, as Lin dipped the trident down into the water, sending a warm, glittering light through the sea. It reached the rock where Mako was sitting, and his fin began to glow as well. When he realized what was happening and looked down at his fin, he began to smile, and when he looked up at his mother, that smile turned into a grin.

Lin nodded her approval.

Mako slipped off the rock into the water, feeling the change. But this time, it didn't pain him. It was warm and relaxing. His legs were strong now, and he walked up out of the water, just to see Korra stirring, drawing herself up. He rose up wearing a loose, red shirt that cut down to his chest, a long, black jacket, and brown pants. Korra stared, beaming at him, her eyes bright and clear. She stood shakily as Mako walked up to meet her on the shore.

But then he wasn't walking and neither was she. They were running to each other, actually running, the water splashing up around them. Mako's hands went for her waist and he lifted Korra high in the air, spinning her around once before letting her down gently, holding her close. And they stared at each other for a moment, simply smiling and holding one another because it couldn't be real.

But it was real. It was.

Korra stood on her tiptoes and Mako leaned down, and their lips pressed together, slowly at first, and then hard and wanting.

It was real.

They broke apart from their first kiss as husband and wife with grins, Naga jumping in between them, wanting to give her own kisses. Both Asami and Katara were dabbing their eyes with a handkerchief.

Down in the ocean, Queen Lin floated on the surface with the rest of her sons and a whole crowd of merfolk. They all waved at Mako. He leaned over the edge, waving at them. Meelo, Ikki, and Jinora flew to greet him, Meelo holding Bolin with his feet.

Mako smiled at Bolin, reaching forward for a hug. Bolin waved, a tear slipping down the side of his cheek as Meelo lowered him back down to the water. Pabu lifted off a tentacle and gave Mako a wave as well before he slipped out of sight, back to where Tenzin was waiting for them.

Mako stayed at the side, watching as Lin rose up out of the water, rose up to Mako so that she could say goodbye. Wordlessly, she held her arms out, the arms that had been there for him through so much, who had lifted him up all those times. Mako leaned and embraced her.

"I love you, Mom."

Releasing his mother from the hug, Mako felt his eyes prickling with tears, but smiled once more when he saw Korra standing behind him. She bowed to Queen Lin, who returned the gesture with a nod.

Lin touched his face and sank back down into the water. Korra walked up to Mako, linking her arm around his and looking out into the ocean. They waved their final goodbye, just as Lin, waving her trident, sent a rainbow out over the wedding ship.

And when Mako couldn't see his family anymore, when he could no longer see the world he loved and left behind, he turned to Korra again, and held her face in his hands. He didn't need the words for her to know how much he loved her.

He didn't need words.

Only a kiss.

_Now we can walk,_

_Now we can run,_

_Now we can stay_

_All day in the sun_

_Just you and me_

_And I can be_

_Part of your world_


End file.
